COUNTRY MUSIC STAR Dolly Parton is donating 1 million US dollars to help fund coronavirus research.

The 9 To 5 singer, actress and philanthropist tweeted that she is donating the funds to Vanderbilt University Medical Centre in Nashville, Tennessee for coronavirus research.

“My longtime friend Dr Naji Abumrad, who’s been involved in research at Vanderbilt for many years, informed me that they were making some exciting advancements towards research of the coronavirus for a cure,” Parton tweeted.

“I am making a donation of $1 million to Vanderbilt towards that research and to encourage people that can afford it to make donations.”

The 74-year-old is also working with her charity, The Imagination Library, to read a children’s book on YouTube every Thursday for 10 weeks.

The Imagination Library provides children with free books through the post every month and the programme is available in all 50 US states and five countries, including Ireland. 

Parton’s readings will air online once a week on the Imagination Library’s Facebook page at midnight Irish time.