When Violet Burdick, a bright-eyed five-year-old, appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2020, she absolutely took the stage by storm. With her father, Ryan Burdick, strumming the guitar, Violet delivered a heartwarming and soulful version of Dolly Parton’s iconic hit, “Jolene.”
The crowd was immediately captivated by Violet’s natural charm, enthusiasm, and sweet, pitch-perfect voice. It didn’t take long for her to win everyone over!
A Little Fan with Big Love for Dolly Parton
But Violet’s performance was just the beginning. When Ellen asked about her love for Dolly Parton, the young starlet shared with pure joy that she adores Dolly for both her incredible voice and her generous heart, especially for the way she helps children by giving away books.
In fact, Violet’s love for Dolly goes way back to the Imagination Library — a program by Dolly’s Dollywood Foundation, which sends free books to children up until they turn five. Violet was one of those lucky kids, eagerly awaiting her monthly book from her country idol.
And Violet’s connection to Dolly doesn’t end there! When she was just four, Violet joined her dad’s band, The Ruddy Well Band, during a local outdoor performance and sang “Coat of Many Colors.” The internet quickly fell in love with the video, and it went viral!
Violet even explained the story behind the song:
“A lady from church dropped off a bag of rags, and her mom sewed them together as a coat.”
Violet’s performances are more than just cute moments — they’re a reminder of the magic that timeless country music, a kind heart, and a little girl’s pure passion can bring to the world.
