“As a musician she has inspired me to go about things with kindness, to be humble but also to be authentic to yourself,” Briana said.
The legendary country music singer has died at the age of 80, leading to tributes from around the world.
Briana said she was privileged to see her perform at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville in 2011.
She was also highly inspired by her charity work, in particular her Imagination Library, which has featured across the world, including Australia. In Australia alone it has delivered more than two million books to 151,000 children in 480 communities.
Briana is performing at the Boots, Buckles and Beers Country Music festival in Echuca this weekend and plans to include the Dolly Parton song 9 to 5 in her set as a tribute.
Meanwhile, Tatura’s Judy Johnson has been presenting her Tuesday afternoon program on community radio station ONE FM for more than 30 years.
Judy, 80, named her program Butterfly Favourites, after the Parton song Love is like a butterfly, which she plays at the start of each show.
In addition to this, Judy estimates she plays another Dolly Parton song on average once a fortnight.
Describing her as “a bright light”, Judy appreciated her positive attitude to life, something she wants to reflect in her weekly program.
“She was just so full of life and had a wonderful sense of humour,” she said.
She also appreciated her immaculate style and dress sense.
While Parton is best known for songs such as Jolene and 9-5, both women nominated Coat Of Many Colours, a 1971 song about Parton’s life growing up poor, as one of their favourite songs.
“She was a wonderful songwriter,” Briana said.
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