Memories and photos of Dolly Parton in Rotherham, as country music legend dies aged 80

Rotherham has an eternal connection with Dolly Parton, who has died aged 80.

The country music superstar’s death was announced today by her family on social media.

The shock news brought back memories of 2007 when she jetted in to Rotherham to launch her children’s book scheme in the UK.

At the time, The Star reported she brought the "wow" factor to South Yorkshire when she took centre-stage at the Magna Centre.

‘She danced on to the stage singing her legendary hit ‘9 to 5’, and continued to mesmerise the audience of business bosses, council officials, education experts and the world’s press.

‘The gal from the Smokey Mountains, Tennessee, stunned in a spangly green dress and her trademark peroxide blonde hair as she charmed her way through a 20-minute speech about her Imagination Library, and threw in two songs for good measure.

‘She even impressed the audience with her well-rehearsed South Yorkshire pronunciation of ‘Rotherham’.

‘The library scheme involves giving every pre-school child in the borough a book each month.

‘Speaking about her love of books, Dolly, one of 12 siblings from a poor family, told the crowd: "I learned to love books at a very early age. My first one was the Bible as it was the only one we had in the house.

"I was truly fascinated with stories. I loved the smell of books and I loved the feel of books and that has stayed with me. What better is there than to do something for children? It means so much to me.

"You can’t give too many kids too many books. With all the TV and video games around, it’s good that we don’t forget about reading.

"In America they call me ‘The Book Lady" and I’ll be happy to be remembered as that in 100 years’ time."

‘Dolly also caused a stir when she called in at a Rotherham Hospital to hand out the very first book of her UK scheme.

‘The diminutive singer met new-born baby Emma Jarman, who at one-day-old became the first recipient of an Imagination Library book.

‘The glamorous songstress sat in a tiny maternity room at the hospital on Moorgate Road with startled 30-year-old mum Claire and dad Shane, 39, after handing over a copy of Beatrix Potter’s classic The Tales of Peter Rabbit.

‘Baby Emma, who weighed in at 4lb 6oz, seemed nonplussed at the furore.

‘Claire and Shane, of Bramley, Rotherham, are both primary school teachers in Doncaster and said the Imagination Library was a great idea.

‘Claire said: "We found out about this over breakfast at 8.30am this morning and it’s slightly surreal. Dolly seemed great and I think the idea is fantastic."’

At its peak, the scheme reached up to 85 per cent of Rotherham's under-five population, delivering hundreds of thousands of books

Dolly Parton was born in 1946 in Sevierville, Tennessee.

The singer recorded 48 studio albums and sold more than 100m records.