Here in East Tennessee, we might disagree with our neighbors on many things, but we do agree on one thing: Dolly Parton. We all agree that Dolly is a “saint of the South.” While I’m not aware of any official canonization process, her saintly status is nearly uncontested in these parts. We admire her for her music, to be sure, but just as much for her other qualities: kindness, inclusivity, humor, joy, and generosity. Despite her public profile, she has managed to stay grounded and grateful. She praises the people and places that made her, whether it’s the doctor who delivered her, the parents who gave her that “coat of many colors,” or the uncle who gifted her with her first guitar. Dolly has also used her wealth to revitalize her home county, investing tens of millions of dollars in economic development, charitable projects, and rebuilding after natural disasters.

If there is another unifying, revered figure from recent history who is also considered a “Southern saint,” it would probably be Jimmy Carter.