A Jackson State University Choir tribute to Dolly Parton went viral, spotlighting the depth of the school’s music program and a standout solo by a sophomore music education major. HBCU Gameday reported the information about the ensemble’s rendition of Parton’s “Light of a Clear Blue Morning,” filmed inside Jackson State’s F.D. Hall Music Center.
Student Asha White delivered a solo that HBCU Gameday described as a church-shaped delivery opening another emotional door inside the song. The choir surrounded her with warm harmonies, minor chords and a resonant bass section, allowing the 1977 country composition to breathe through gospel and Black choral music traditions, according to the report.
The performance showcased the university’s music program beyond its nationally recognized marching band, the Sonic Boom of the South. HBCU Gameday noted that separate rehearsal footage showed members of the Jackson State University Chorale singing another Parton composition, “I Will Always Love You.”
The report also connected Parton’s legacy to music education, noting accounts of her quietly helping school bands purchase uniforms and instruments, with beneficiaries reportedly including predominantly Black schools across the South. Her Imagination Library has provided free books to children from birth through age five since 1995 through local partners, including United Way organizations serving Mississippi families.
For more information, visit hbcugameday.com.