COMMENT | The news of Dolly Parton's passing on Aug 25, in Nashville, United States, at the age of 80, brought me back to an event held long in my memory.

Many knew her as the queen of country music, a singer, songwriter, actress, and philanthropist who brought light to the Western entertainment world for more than seven decades.

Parton was not just a big name I knew through the radio and television screen. She brought personal memories that I am sharing publicly for the first time, in conjunction with remembering her passing.

Once upon a time, I worked in Dubai in a management position at a company owned by Yusuf Islam, better known as Cat Stevens before he embraced Islam.

Yusuf was not only a legendary singer and songwriter in the 1960s and 1970s, but also an entrepreneur and philanthropist active in various charitable and educational initiatives after leaving the mainstream entertainment world.

Holding the position of general manager at his company gave me the opportunity to...