NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Billionaire online retailer Jeff Bezos has named Dolly Parton the latest recipient of his Courage and Civility award, handing the music legend US$100 million (S$137 million) to direct to any charities she chooses.

“She gives with her heart. What she’s done for kids, and literacy, and so many other things, is just incredible,” Mr Bezos, 58, said in a video posted on social media.

“I’ve always said, I try to put my money where my heart is, and I think you do the same thing,” Parton said in the video. “I will do my best to do good things with this money. Thank you, Jeff.”

Parton, 76, has operated a foundation that has distributed books to children globally.

A strong advocate of vaccination, she supported Moderna’s shot through a US$1 million donation to Vanderbilt University Medical Centre for coronavirus research.

Mr Bezos has previously awarded US$100 million apiece to chef Jose Andres, whose World Central Kitchen feeds people in disaster-stricken areas around the world, and Mr Van Jones, the founder of Dream.Org

Mr Bezos, the world’s fourth-richest person with a US$123.9 billion fortune, has increased his philanthropic efforts since stepping down as Amazon.com’s chief executive officer in 2021.

He is focusing most of his attention on climate change with his US$10 billion Earth Fund and also announced a US$200 million gift to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

The billionaire is also said to be interested in acquiring the NFL’s Washington Commanders, possibly with music mogul Jay-Z as an investor. BLOOMBERG