Dolly Parton to front back-to-back Nashville-area telethons for wildfire victims

Dolly Parton is to headline two upcoming telethons to help victims of the wildfires that ravaged areas of Tennessee last week (beg28Nov16).
As well as organising one charity bash to air live on 13 December (16) – to benefit those left homeless by fires near the site of her Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge – the country legend will also take part in The Smoky Mountain Wildfires Telethon on Friday (09Dec16).
That charity event will also feature performances from Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan, and Brad Paisley.
The stars will take over Nashville’s fabled Studio B for the three-hour NBC broadcast, which will also feature sets by John Rich, Kristian Bush and Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine with his daughter, country singer Electra.
Meanwhile, announcing her own charity event on Monday (05Dec16) in a statement, Parton wrote: “I know there are a lot of great events being planned to help the people of East Tennessee, however, I am planning a telethon to support the My People Fund where 100 per cent of the money will help those who lost their homes in the wildfire. I am planning on doing this on Dec.13th in Nashville, Tennessee.”
Parton’s My People Fund, which she established through the Dollywood Company and the Dollywood Foundation last week, will provide $1,000 (GBP785) each month for six months to Sevier County families who lost their homes in the fires.
Dolly and her Dollywood theme park partners were forced to shut down the tourist attraction last week as fires threatened the area. The park re-opened for business on Friday (02Dec16).