Dolly Parton & Dr. Bob Fisher Recognized By Nashville Hospitality Industry
Pictured (L-R): Dr. Bob Fisher, Deana Ivey, Dolly Parton, Mayor Freddie O’Connell. Photo: Alan Poizner for the NCVC
Dolly Parton and Dr. Bob Fisher, former President of Belmont University, were recently recognized by the Nashville Hospitality Industry for contributing to Music City’s tourism success. Mayor Freddie O’Connell and NCVC President and CEO Deana Ivey presented them with the industry’s top honors during the Nashville Hospitality Industry Celebration Luncheon earlier this month.
Parton was awarded the E.W. “Bud” Wendell Award, which honors an individual outside the hospitality industry who has contributed to the overall success of tourism. She has worked to address childhood literacy through Imagination Library and her most recent project, Begin Bright, supporting Nashville Public Library. She is opening SongTeller Hotel downtown, which will include a museum and she created a new theatrical show, Dolly: An Original Musical, which premieres at Belmont’s Fisher Center this summer before heading to Broadway.
“Dolly’s music has been a foundational piece of the Music City brand for decades, which has served as a beacon drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors to town,” said Ivey. “Beyond her music, Dolly’s creative and philanthropic efforts have received international attention and escalated our reputation as a warm and welcoming city.”
Fisher received the Francis S. Guess Connector Award, which recognizes an individual who has worked to connect the hospitality industry to the community at large. During his tenure at Belmont, Fisher helped promote visitation to Nashville by bringing major events to the city, including two historic Presidential debates and a premier international tennis event, the Davis Cup. He has also been deeply involved in issues of public education, housing insecurity and affordable housing.
“Bob was an early adopter of the Music City brand when we first introduced it to the community, and he was critical in getting other leaders to accept it. He understood the power of music as a driver for tourism,” added Ivey.
