Reese Witherspoon honoured by magazine

Actor Reese Witherspoon and singer Dolly Parton have been named among Southern Living magazine’s top Innovators Changing the South for 2016.

The 40-year-old Sweet Home Alabama actor-turned-lifestyle entrepreneur, who hails from Nashville, Tennessee, has been celebrated by the publication’s editors for her Draper James clothing and home collection, applauding the star for prioritising “made-in-America, made-in-the-South products”.

They notified Witherspoon of her inclusion in the annual list via Twitter, to which she exclaimed, “Such an honor!!! Thanks @Southern_Living! @draperjames #SouthernPride”.

Country legend Dolly Parton was also recognised for her continued philanthropy work with Imagination Library, which provides free books to underprivileged kids, and the success of her biographical TV movie, Coat of Many Colors, which became a huge hit with viewers in December last year.

Others included as top innovators of the south were blues rockers Alabama Shakes and their frontwoman, Brittany Howard, comedians Aziz Ansari and Tig Notaro, authors Jesmyn Ward and Brene Brown, US women’s soccer star Morgan Brian and Stay Human, the house band on America’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.