The first song she wanted to hear came from a Dolly Parton book

For years, Sue Spencer says her home stayed quiet because her autistic daughter could not tolerate music. Then a children’s book linked to one Dolly Parton song changed what the family thought was possible.

A silent house, until one story opened a door

Spencer shared the story in a tribute that has taken on extra meaning as millions of people mourn Dolly Parton following her peaceful passing at her Nashville home. While Parton is being remembered as a music legend, Spencer’s account points to another part of her impact: the reach of a book program that found its way into one family’s daily life.

According to Spencer, music simply was not something her daughter could live with. Because her daughter is autistic and highly sensitive to sound, songs were off the table. There was no radio playing while chores got done, no playlist in the background, and none of the spontaneous dance moments many families barely think about.

That changed when the family received a copy of Coat of Many Colors through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The book was not just another title arriving at the house. It became the first step in a chain reaction Spencer did not see coming.

From a picture book to a real song

When Spencer read the book with her daughter for the first time, she explained that the story came from a song. The idea stuck. After hearing the book a few more times, her daughter wanted to know more. She asked whether her mother could sing it out loud.

That curiosity kept growing. It moved from hearing the story on the page, to hearing it in her mother’s voice, to wanting to listen to Dolly Parton’s recorded version.

For a family that had lived with what Spencer described as a complete absence of music, that moment could have gone either way. Instead, Spencer says her daughter loved the song. Rather than pulling away from it, she wanted more.

Parton’s music quickly became a way in. Spencer said that before long she had a 7-year-old singing along to Jolene. The child who had once been unable to manage background music was now actively asking for songs.

Playlists for every mood, with Dolly still in them

The change did not stop at one track. Spencer said she eventually taught her daughter how to use a music streaming app by herself, giving her a new level of independence around something that had once felt impossible.

The difference, Spencer wrote, is visible years later. Her daughter is now 12 and has built playlists for different moods, with at least a little Dolly included in each one.

What makes the story stand out is how specific the turning point was. This was not a general easing into sound, at least not in the way Spencer described it. The breakthrough began with a free illustrated book, then a question about a song, then a request to hear it for real. A home that had been quiet for years filled up with music.

Why the book mattered beyond reading time

That path started with Imagination Library, the program Parton launched in 1995 in Tennessee. It was created to give children books at no cost, regardless of their family’s finances.

Parton had spoken about why the project mattered so much to her. She said her father, who could not read or write, carried shame about that throughout his life and had always hoped she would become known as the book lady. In an earlier interview, Parton said the Imagination Library was among the achievements she was proudest of.

The scale of the project is vast. The foundation has given away more than 250 million books around the world. And people connected to the program say it is set up to continue. Sally Smith, who runs the Imagination Library in South Oxford, said strong legacy plans are in place through the Dollywood Foundation and that children will keep receiving those books for years to come.

For Spencer and her daughter, one of those books did more than encourage reading. It introduced music into a house where music had not been able to exist, and it did it through a Dolly Parton story before it did it through a Dolly Parton record.

How newly restored hearing can feel at first

For people using hearing aids or cochlear implants, sound often does not arrive in a fully natural way straight away. Hearing aids make sounds louder and clearer if some hearing remains. Cochlear implants work differently. They turn sound into signals that stimulate the hearing nerve, so the brain has to learn how to interpret those signals over time.

That is why early listening can feel surprising, tiring or emotional. Voices may sound unfamiliar at first, and music can be harder to recognise than speech because it carries pitch, rhythm and texture all at once. Regular practice, patience and follow up with hearing specialists are usually part of the adjustment.

Why musical books are often a gentle starting point

Children's sound books and sing along books can be useful because they combine a picture, a simple button and a short burst of audio. That makes the listening task predictable. A familiar tune is often easier to focus on than background noise, especially when the same clip can be played again and again.

Books linked to well known singers or nursery songs can also help because the listener may already know the rhythm or words from lip reading, vibration or family routines. Repetition matters. Short, clear clips are often easier to process than a full song played through a phone or speaker in a noisy room.

Practical tips for choosing one

If you are buying a musical book, look for sturdy buttons, clear volume, simple artwork and songs with an easy melody. Start in a quiet room. Play one clip at a time. Give the listener time to react before pressing again.

It can also help to pair the sound with singing, pointing to pictures or reading the words aloud. If a person seems overwhelmed, lower the volume or take breaks. The goal is not perfect recognition straight away. It is comfortable, repeated listening that helps build confidence.