Awards Highlight Family, Faith, Community and Social Issues During May 19 Ceremony
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 30, 2016) – Country music icon Dolly Parton, silver screen legend Sylvester Stallone, and popular comedian Jim Gaffigan are just a few of the creative forces behind the 21 feature films, TV/Cable programs, and books for adults and young people that will be honored at the 67th annual Christopher Awards, to be presented in New York City on May 19, 2016.
The Christopher Awards were created in 1949 to celebrate writers, producers, directors, authors and illustrators whose work “affirms the highest values of the human spirit.”
Tony Rossi, The Christophers’ Director of Communications, says, “The world around us can seem like a dark place in light of all the violence and hatred we hear about in the news. But the stories we honor with Christopher Awards remind us that we can shine a light that illuminates the darkness by choosing to practice faith, love, compassion, courage, teamwork, and determination.”
Dolly Parton, executive producer of the TV/Cable winner “Coat of Many Colors,” said, “I love the Christopher Award slogan, ‘Better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.’ I personally believe that with all my heart. I think the movie, ‘Coat of Many Colors,’ a true story from my childhood, does throw a light on a lot of things like family, hope, love, kindness, understanding, and acceptance. It really spoke to the issue of bullying. I am very proud at how God works through me to shine a light, and to help heal a lot of hurt in a lot of people, and I am very proud of this award.”
“Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors” (NBC) brings the legendary entertainer’s classic song to life in a story that addresses working through grief, bullying, and the riches beyond money that are found in a loving home.
RECOMMENDED TWEET:
.@DollyParton will be honored for #CoatofManyColors during 67th annual Christopher Awards
ABOUT DOLLY PARTON:
An internationally renowned superstar, the iconic and irrepressible Dolly Parton has contributed countless treasures to the world of entertainment. All-inclusive sales of singles, albums, hits collections, paid digital downloads and compilation usage during her illustrious career have topped a staggering 100 million records worldwide. Achieving 25 RIAA certified gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards, Dolly has had 25 songs reach No. 1 on the Billboard Country charts, a record for a female artist. Dolly has garnered 7 Grammy Awards, 10 Country Music Association Awards, 5 Academy of Country Music Awards, 3 American Music Awards and is one of only five female artists to win the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year Award. Making her film debut in the 1980 hit comedy “9 to 5,” Dolly earned rave reviews for her performance and an Oscar nomination for writing the title tune, along with her second and third Grammy Awards. Roles in “Steel Magnolias,” “Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” “Rhinestone,” and “Straight Talk” followed. Dolly saw a cherished dream become a reality in 1986 with the opening of her own theme park, Dollywood, in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. In 1988, Dolly began the Dollywood Foundation which funds Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library across America and in Canada by giving every preschool child a book each month from the time he or she is born until the child reaches kindergarten. Currently 60,000,000 books are mailed to children in the US, Canada and throughout the UK. In 1999, Dolly was inducted as a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. She has her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and in 2004, the U.S. Library of Congress presented her with their Living Legend Award for her contribution to the cultural heritage of the United States. In December 2015, more than 13 million tuned into “Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors” and was the most-watched film on broadcast networks since May 2012. To learn more about this American icon, visit DollyPartonEntertainment.com.
# # #
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON DOLLY PARTON, VISIT:
www.dollypartonentertainment.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/DollyParton
Instagram: Instagram.com/DollyParton
Twitter: Twitter.com/DollyParton
Tumblr: OfficialDollyParton.tumblr.com
Google+: Plus.Google.com/+DollyParton