Remembering Dolly Parton
• Country music icon Dolly Parton died peacefully in Nashville today at age 80, her nephew Bryan Seaver announced. “She never saw a door she couldn’t open, and the doors she opened made and changed history,” he said in a video statement.
• Parton rose from humble beginnings to the greatest heights of American music and became one of the country’s most philanthropic, unifying and beloved stars. Tributes are pouring in from musicians and politicians, and flags at the White House were lowered to half-staff in her honor on President Donald Trump’s order.
• In an interview published Friday, Parton said she had been “dealing with some health issues,” which she did not address while she was busy caring for her husband, who died just over a year ago. Parton’s funeral will be private and intimate, according to her family.
• Streaming now: In a 2003 interview with Larry King, Parton opened up about her life, legacy and creative roots.
Flags lowered at White House in Dolly Parton's honor
Flags were lowered at the White House in honor of country music legend Dolly Parton.
The large American flag on the 100-foot pole Trump installed on the North Lawn was lowered first, shortly before 6 p.m.
A man walked onto the roof of the White House at 6 p.m. and the flag on top of the residence was lowered one minute later. A hawk perched on top of the gold eagle finial shortly before the flags dropped and remained there as it lowered.
Earlier, President Trump ordered US flags half-staff across the country, after learning of the passing of Parton.
“Rest in Peace, Dolly! The World loves you,” Trump said.
Next tropical storm to be named “Dolly” — but only as a coincidence
As fans around the world mourn the loss of Dolly Parton, a natural phenomenon could share the American icon’s name in the wake of her passing.
The National Hurricane Center is monitoring a tropical system a few hundred miles south-southeast of the Cabo Verde Islands that has a 70% chance of developing in the next two days. If it were to strengthen into a tropical storm, it would be named Dolly.
Tropical storm and hurricane names progress alphabetically during a hurricane season, and the names are chosen years in advance by the World Meteorological Organization, so the timing of a potential Tropical Storm Dolly would merely be coincidental with the beloved singer’s death.
Though it may be worth noting that a “D” named storm has usually occurred by now, but this year’s hurricane season has been slowed by the effects of a brewing Super El Nino.
This season’s Atlantic storms have also been relatively fleeting, again thanks to El Nino’s impact. For her fans, even a brief storm carrying her name might feel fitting for someone long considered a force of nature.
Why libraries and dictionaries are honoring Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton was just as passionate about giving children the gift of books through her Imagination Library organization as she was about giving people the gift of her music.
It’s why some famed library and dictionary entities took to social media on Tuesday to honor Parton, who has sent books to millions of families, free-of-charge, through her foundation.
Calling Parton a “music legend and titan of children’s literacy,” the Library of Congress’ Bluesky account posted a tribute to the singer, adding, “Her Imagination Library program has earned multiple Library Literacy Awards and, in 2018, she visited us to donate its 100 millionth book to our collection and host a story time.”
Parton’s Imagination Library mails free books to children until age 5five, no matter their family’s income. She started the foundation in 1995 and, ever since, it has gone on to earn several accolades and awards.
The official X account of the Encyclopedia Britannica also honored Parton’s contribution to promoting childhood literacy, nodding to her Dollywood Foundation that she launched in 1988 to “provide inspiration and educational resources to children,” the post read,
How butterflies become Dolly Parton’s symbol
About one year ago, Dolly Parton posted on social media an older photo of her singing to a crowd on stage with a giant butterfly behind her with the caption, “Dreams are of no value if they’re not equipped with wings”— a lyric from her song “Try,” from her 2014 “Blue Smoke” album.
The end of her sentence in her social post had a butterfly emoji, echoing the symbol that accompanied Parton until her death today.
In a 2021 interview with W Magazine, Parton spoke about her love of and fascination with butterflies since growing up in the mountains of Tennessee. “Butterflies don’t sting, they don’t bite, and they are so beautiful,” Parton told the magazine.
Parton spoke about how her butterfly tattoo has a special meaning to her in a 2019 interview with CNN. It even became part of the logo for her Dollywood theme park in Tennessee, she said.
Butterflies showed up more explicitly in her songs, as well. “I wrote a song called ‘Love Is Like a Butterfly,’ and it became a big hit in my early years,” she told CNN at the time.
The cover art for Parton’s 2017 children’s album, “I Believe in You,” featured a photo of her wearing butterfly wings. Parton said all the proceeds from the album would go to her Imagination Library, a program that mails free books to children.
"You couldn’t get one by her," Dolly Parton exhibit curator says
Allison Moorer, curator of the exhibit “Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker” at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, said that while fans will be mourning the star deeply, they will also benefit from the enormous body of work and philanthropic legacy that she left for the world.
As Moorer was curating the tribute to Parton, she handled some of the most precious artifacts of the singer’s career, including the original lyrics to “Jolene” and the “glorious” rhinestone-encrusted costumes that defined her glitzy, larger-than-life image. She had the pleasure of meeting Parton, who always injected a little humor into the conversation.
“She had a tremendous wit, tremendous intelligence and kindness and joy and happiness, and she radiated all the beauty and all the wonderful feelings that you want to feel. She was very warm,” Moorer said on CNN’s “The Lead.”
Parton’s intelligence and savvy business sense are a part of her legacy that deserve more attention, Moorer said.
And she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind.
“As she said, you couldn’t get one by her. She would say things like, ‘If I don’t like where you got it, I can tell you where to put it,’” the curator recalled.
But it will ultimately be Parton’s empathy and profound appreciation for her roots that will define how she is remembered, Moorer said. She started her global book-gifting program, Imagination Library, in her hometown of Sevier County, Tennessee, before it grew to donate millions of books worldwide.
“Her home was where her heart was for sure,” Moorer said.
Parton’s theme park, Dollywood, is Sevier County’s largest employer, creating more that 20,000 jobs in the area. But Parton also paid for some employees’ college education, donated to local hospitals and sent relief to families in Tennessee who had been impacted by flooding and wildfires.
“And she just did it without any fanfare at all,” Moorer said.
Parton’s home county declaring tomorrow a day of mourning
Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters and Mayor-elect Bryan McCarter have declared tomorrow, August 26 as a day of mourning in honor of Dolly Parton.
Parton was born in Locust Ridge, Sevier County, Tennessee, on January 19, 1946.
Waters and McCarter also have “directed that the Sevier County flag be flown at half-staff until the day of interment in honor of Dolly,” according to a statement.
Waters and McCarter also paid homage to their home county icon.
“Dolly’s impact on Sevier County reaches far beyond her remarkable career. She dedicated herself to making this community a better place, from helping lead the recovery and rebuilding efforts following the 2016 wildfires to her lasting commitment to the children and families of our region through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Her generosity, compassion, and love for the people of Sevier County have touched countless lives and will continue to do so for generations to come,” the statement reads.
“Sevier County has lost a beloved friend, an extraordinary neighbor, and an icon whose legacy will forever be part of the story of our community.”
Tributes from political figures continue to pour in for Dolly Parton
Messages honoring Dolly Parton continue to pour in from across the political spectrum, with prominent figures reflecting on her life and legacy.
Here are some of their tributes:
- Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton posted that Parton was “the best of America.” Clinton wrote, “Dolly Parton did all the good she could, for all the people she could, for as long as ever she could. … Dolly, we’ll miss your great heart.”
- Former President Bill Clinton also honored Parton, saying he and Hillary Clinton were longtime fans who first saw her perform in 1974, “and will always be grateful for the music and the memories.” He wrote, “Dolly Parton was one of a kind — a great songwriter and performer who told the stories of everyday Americans with honesty, humility, and heart.”
- Former Vice President Kamala Harris remembered Parton as “true American icon.” Harris highlighted Parton’s philanthropy efforts through her Imagination Library and honored her musical accomplishments. “All at once she was kind, modest, and funny. With her music, her philanthropy, and her style, Dolly was one of one,” Harris posted on X.
- Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi remembered Parton as a “singular American icon” who was “a committed philanthropist and a trailblazer who empowered women to find their own voices and be their authentic selves. May her legacy of beauty and artistry always be an inspiration.”
- Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna said, “Dolly Parton could have retired long ago having achieved greatness. She chose to continue her life pursuing the arts, and pushing boundaries to advocate for inclusion, women’s rights, children’s literacy and more. Dolly touched countless hearts and will forever be remembered.”
- New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani posted that Patron’s passing “is truly heartbreaking. Dolly Parton was an extraordinary person and an irreplaceable champion of the working class. We are a better country because of her.”
- North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein said Parton was “so special, so universally loved.” He described the country music icon as “’authentic,’ which is funny since she is well known for her big wigs and extravagant gowns.’” Stein added, “But her impact on the world was much greater — from providing kids free books to funding vaccine research and promoting tolerance. America lost one of our best today.”
Dolly Parton's legacy will "endure for generations to come," says Grammys CEO
Dolly Parton has been earning recognition from the Recording Academy, the organization behind the Grammy Awards, since 1970, when she was nominated for her first statuette.
Parton’s 1970 nod in the country performance by a duo or group with vocals category for “Just Someone I Used to Know,” for which she was nominated alongside country star Porter Wagoner, kicked off her decades-long history as a decorated musician.
Her first Grammy win came in 1979 for “Here You Come Again” and in 1982, she won two more for “9 to 5.” In total, Parton has won 10 Grammys and has been nominated 55 times.
The breadth of her catalogue and contribution to music was recognized when she was awarded the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2011 ceremony. In 2019, she was the recipient of the MusiCares Person of the Year honor.
“It’s nearly impossible to fully capture the depth of what Dolly Parton means to the world,” Harvey Mason Jr, CEO of the Recording Academy, said in a statement Tuesday. “Her songs became part of the fabric of America, but her impact went well beyond the stage. Through her unwavering dedication to philanthropy, she gave back to her community and to the world with the same heart that defined her music.”
Her legacy, Mason Jr. added, is “one of talent, kindness and resilience,” and “will endure for generations to come.”
CNN’s Elizabeth Wagmeister contributed to this report.
Jane Fonda says Dolly Parton was a visionary with a prankster's sense of humor
Actress and activist Jane Fonda never knew anybody like Dolly Parton, who she described as a “simultaneously a naughty, playful southern gal from the hollows of Tennessee and a deep, soulful thinker who could see through people right down to their true selves.”
Though Parton was a musical visionary, Fonda wrote, she was also a “prankster” and a loyal friend “who’d never go to bed before she and her friends had laughed so hard they’d have to cross their legs.”
Parton had an incredible sense of humor. On one occasion, she said, Parton had mooned the home of singer Kenny Rogers out of a car window.
Fonda also recalled her friend’s deep sense of empathy, particularly for her LGBTQ fans.
To honor Parton, Fonda encouraged fans to watch the final episode of Fonda’s Netflix show “Grace and Frankie,” in which Parton cameos as a hard-working angel who hasn’t gotten a fair promotion in 250 years.
Parton recalls first time hearing Whitney Houston's cover of "I Will Always Love You"
In 2003, legendary musician and philanthropist Dolly Parton spoke with Larry King about the meaning behind her hit “I Will Always Love You” and the moment she remembered hearing Whitney Houston cover it.
In 2003, Dolly Parton spoke with Larry King on CNN about the mega-hit “I Will Always Love You” and the first time she heard Whitney Houston’s cover of the song.
See what Parton said when she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame
Dolly Parton was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999.
Kenny Rogers presented her with the award and during her acceptance speech, the singer thanked her team, family and God.
See what else she said at the time here:
Barbra Streisand mourns a "true force of nature"
Barbra Streisand, who had met Dolly Parton several times as the two powerhouse singers’ stars rose, posted on social media that she was saddened to hear of Parton’s passing.
“So sorry to hear about Dolly - she was a true force of nature. May she rest in peace,” Streisand wrote on Instagram. She shared a picture of the two when they were younger, both in glamorously tailored white suits.
The admiration appears to have been mutual. When both women were performing in Tampa during the same week in 2016, Parton praised Streisand.
“Through the years we’ve had many occasions to visit or to see each other at parties or different functions,” Parton said at the time, as reported by the Tampa Bay Times. “I admire her. I think she’s just incredible.”
Paul McCartney says he was honored to sing "Let It Be" with Dolly Parton
Paul McCartney is grieving his “magnificent” friend Dolly Parton, whose death he said is “so sad.”
The Beatles legend recalled when he first met Parton at the Grand Ole Opry, writing in an Instagram post Tuesday that, at the time, she was playing with country star Porter Wagoner and was getting ready to launch into her own solo career.
“She was so bubbly and full of life,” he wrote. “Her songwriting, her singing and her philanthropy were unrivaled in the world of country music and it is hard to imagine living in a world without Dolly. She was a very clever business woman who understood the value of her music and, most importantly, the effect that she had on the people of the world.”
McCartney reunited with Ringo Starr to collaborate with Parton on a cover of The Beatles’ famed 1970 ballad “Let It Be,” which was featured on her 2023 rock album “Rockstar.”
“There was no greater honour for me than to have her sing my song Let It Be and, even though I only made a small contribution to it, I am so honoured that she did it. I am so proud to have known her and admire her unique talents,” he wrote. “Thanks Dolly for the beautiful music you gave me and the whole world. We will always love you, god bless and rest in peace. You were the best.”
Empire State Building to glow pink in honor of Dolly Parton tonight
The Empire State Building in New York City will honor Dolly Parton tonight by glowing with pink sparkly lights at 9:25 p.m. ET — a nod to her iconic song “9 to 5.”
“Dolly was a global cultural icon whose seven-decade career reached generations of fans,” a statement on social media read. “Dolly leaves a significant philanthropic legacy through the Dollywood Foundation and Imagination Library, which has provided hundreds of millions of books to children worldwide.”
"Her light will forever shine!": Patti LaBelle says of her friend Parton
Singer Patti LaBelle said she is “deeply saddened by the loss of my dear friend who was loved by all.”
“Dolly’s artistry, brilliance, and extraordinary life inspired so many people, including me,” LaBelle said in a statement shared with CNN. “Her light will forever shine! I send my deepest condolences to all of her loved ones and fans all over the world!”
LaBelle and Parton were longtime friends, and in 1987 the two famously played a duet on Parton’s variety show using their acrylic nails as instruments.
See the iconic moment here:
“We will always love you, Dolly”: Grand Ole Opry remembers Parton
Historic country music institution the Grand Ole Oprey paid tribute to long-time member Dolly Parton in a post on X.
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we say goodbye to a true country music icon, Opry member Dolly Parton. There is no doubt Dolly’s mark on the world, and on us here at the Grand Ole Opry, will be deeply felt for generations to come,” the famed country music institution wrote.
“She taught us to always lead with kindness, generosity, and compassion. May her legacy live on through her songs, the lives she touched, and the countless artists she inspired. There will never, ever be another one like her. We will always love you, Dolly,” the post read.
Parton first made a guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry when she was just 13 years old in 1959. Later, in 1969, she became a member of the Nashville country music institution.
Dolly Parton musical still scheduled to open on Broadway early next year
The producers of Dolly Parton’s Broadway musical said the show’s production will continue.
The biographical musical will feature “I Will Always Love You,” “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors,” and “9 to 5,” along with new music written by Parton for the show. It’s directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher with a book by Dolly Parton and Maria S. Schlatter.
“This isn’t just a story about the sparkle you see on the outside,” Parton says in a video on the musical’s website. “It’s about where I really come from, what I’ve lived, what I’ve lost, what I’ve loved, and how I found my way, and told in my own words through the music that’s been with me through every step of the journey.”
The musical premiered last year in Nashville for a sold-out run. It was the most successful production ever at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Belmont University, according to a press release.
Julia Roberts and Sally Field pay tribute to "Steel Magnolias" costar Dolly Parton
Sally Field is honoring her friend and costar Dolly Parton, writing on Instagram Tuesday that the world just lost an angel.
“If there are truly angels on earth, then we have just lost one. Dolly Parton. There will never be another,” Field wrote. “I adored her with all my heart and will always cherish our time together.”
Parton and Field starred alongside each other in the 1989 classic “Steel Magnolias,” a dramedy about a close-knit group of Southern women living in Louisiana.
Field posted a throwback photo of herself with Julia Roberts, Parton, Shirley MacLaine and Olympia Dukakis, all of whom also star in “Steel Magnolias.”
Parton notoriously stood up to the film’s director Herbert Ross, who was particularly harsh on Roberts, according to Field.
“Some people just need to have somebody they pick on. But we all came to her aid, and I remember Dolly once just turned on him — always with humor, but usually the most vulgar humor you ever heard so that it was like, you just literally don’t have a leg to stand on,” Field recalled.
In a statement to CNN, Roberts, too, remembered her costar as a “magical and joyous human.”
“I hold knowing her as a treasure in my life,” Roberts added. “The sun has dimmed today.”
CNN’s David Mack contributed to this report.
Dolly Parton has a golden history in Hollywood as two-time Oscar nominee
Dolly Parton may be a legendary country music star but she also has a rich history in Hollywood, earning the title of two-time Oscar nominee on top of the rest of her impressive accolades.
Parton was first nominated for an Oscar in 1981 in the best original song category for titular theme song of the classic film “9 to 5,” a film in which she also starred. The song is one of her most beloved and well-known, its release marking a turning point in Parton’s career as she ascended from country singer to global superstar at the time.
Her second Oscar nod came in 2006, when she was nominated in the same original song category for the song “Travelin’ Thru,” which she wrote for the film “Transamerica.”
Parton put as much into her philanthropy as she did into her music. Just last year, she was the recipient of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Governors Awards, earning an honorary Oscar and recognition for the “extraordinary compassion and generosity she shared so freely with others.”
“Dolly brought something entirely her own to everything she did. She was radiant on screen and in song; she could put a lifetime of feeling into just a few words,” the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences wrote in a statement on X. “And through it all, there was a warmth to Dolly that made her feel wonderfully close to us.”
Parton is also a decorated musician, having earned 11 Grammys – including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award – as a recording artist, as well as 10 Country Music Association awards.
Parton’s heart was “even greater” than her talent, says longtime friend Barbara Mandrell
Barbara Mandrell, another iconic country music singer and trailblazing woman in the industry, said her longtime friend Dolly Parton was blessed “with an extraordinary gift” but that her heart “was even greater” than her remarkable talent.
“I will always treasure her friendship, her laughter and the wonderful memories we shared through the years,” said Mandrell, whose public relationship with Parton over decades included moments of the two women celebrating each other’s successes and performing together.
“She brought so much joy to this world, and I know her music, her kindness and her faith will continue to touch lives for generations. My prayers are with her family and all who loved her,” she said in an Instagram post.
