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"It's a God thing," she says of her work with the Christian Appalachian Project, or CAP, of Lancaster, Ky. -- an organization serving poverty-stricken people in the Appalachian areas . "That is my home, too. I'm an Appalachian child myself, and I wanted to help them however I could."

Her involvement with CAP, however, was actually quite accidental.

"I was praying about my mission in life and in what direction God might have me go," Parton says. "At that same time, I was on an awards show, and, by mistake, they put me with the vice president (Ben Prewitt) of CAP to present an award. After I heard them say, 'Christian Appalachian Project,' that just resonated in my mind. So, I ran and caught up with him afterward and said, 'Let me introduce myself. I feel like I'm supposed to help you.'"

"She is an incredible lady, and we are so proud to have her as our national spokesperson," says Prewitt, adding, "She grew up in extreme poverty, and just felt it was time to give something back.

To that end, Parton will perform in a special benefit gospel music concert sponsored by the Christian Laymen Corps of Greensburg. The CLC, a volunteer organization that aids needy areas of Appalachia, will share proceeds with CAP and Word of Life Ministries, near Greensburg.

"This is the first time we've ever done anything like this," says Charles Cunningham, founder of the CLC, adding Parton is donating her time for the fund-raising effort.

Yes, this Parton is related to that Parton -- referring, of course, to country music legend Dolly Parton. Yet younger sister Stella, who has dropped her famous last name to avoid "exploitation," has put together an award-winning musical career in her own right -- based on sheer talent and determination. To her credit, Parton has produced 16 albums, and 24 hit singles -- including "Up in the Holler," and the soon-to-be-released single, "Keep on the Firing Line" -- a song she learned "right from the hymnal" as a child.

Parton has also graced the stages in New York, appearing in touring musicals such as "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers," and "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," and has become a strong advocate in combating domestic violence.

For the native of Sevier County, Tenn., however, perhaps the most important aspect of her life has always involved making music with those closest to her.

"We were just a really creative family when I was a kid," she says. "We all wrote songs. We called it makin' up songs. And I just thought that's what everybody did."

As for what it was like to grow up with a superstar sister, Parton says she has "never known how to answer" that question.

"For a while, I tried to answer it as creatively as I could just to amuse myself," she says with a laugh. "But, somehow, I've never been able to come up with a satisfactory answer."

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