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A UT honors course designed to help students analyze popular culture as a historical source by using the life of singer-songwriter Dolly Parton has garnered widespread national media attention.

Even the famed entertainer called the course “a blessing” in this tweet.

Lynn Sacco, associate professor of history, teachers the course, which examines how a “hillbilly” girl from Appalachia grew up to become an international one-word sensation.

Several media outlets highlighted the course including the New York Times, National Public RadioRolling Stone, Country Living, Mental Floss, New York Magazine, the Times of London, BBC Newshour (starting at 16 minutes, 37 seconds), Hollywood.comWVLT-TV Local 8 News, WATE-TV Channel 6, the Knoxville News Sentinel, and WUOT 91.9 FM.

DollyParton.com, Dolly’s official website, also highlighted the course in this story.