Dolly Parton really put the “icon” in iconic. The “Queen of Country” had countless, memorable moments during her life, and she leaves us with plenty to laugh about, and much to be inspired by.
We all knew that Dolly Parton was struggling with some health issues, and that it was serious enough to keep her from making many public appearances that she had planned. But I don’t think any of us were ready for the news yesterday when we found out that the “Queen of Country Music” had passed on at the age of 80
Her team provided this statement, and said that the country legend passed peacefully in her home state of Tennessee after a brief battle with cancer:
“A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family.
Dolly Parton’s legacy is one of love, compassion, and resilience. With a seven-decade career, she inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place. Her songs will continue to resonate with people of all ages, and her philanthropic work will have a lasting impact.”
There’s absolutely no doubt that the legend of Dolly will forever live on.
And that’s at least partially thanks to all of the memorable moments and achievements that she leaves behind. The “9 to 5” singer certainly knew how to make a mark, and in this list below, we revisit some of those big, iconic times that Dolly Parton did something that proved to stick with us.
‘Islands In The Stream’ Duet with Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton released “Islands In The Stream” back in 1983 and was one of the biggest hits of each of their stellar careers. Written by the Bee Gees, it was the first time these two icons of country music teamed up for a song… and it ended up becoming one of the most recognizable duets of all time.
It shot up the charts, securing the number one spot on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, where it stayed for two weeks, but also broke into the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, where it also spent two weeks in peak position. This video below shows the pair of country legends performing the song at the 1983 CMA Awards. They performed it together through the years, with the last time them sharing the stage and the song being in 2017.
Cameo on The Simpsons
One of the greatest honors a high-profile celebrity like Dolly Parton can experience is being “Simpson-ified.” In the Season 10 episode “Sunday, Cruddy Sunday,” Parton played herself, and helped Homer and his friends break out of a jail cell at the Super Bowl.
The 1999 episode featured Dolly using her “extra strength makeup remover” to burn a whole through the cell’s lock. According to writers on the show, Parton got a kick out of that joke, and she was unsurprisingly described as one of the best celebrities to ever work with while she recorded her lines.
Dolly Drops Into Irish Pub Will On Vacation
Even when she went to Ireland on vacation back in what’s believed to be 1990 (or sometimes in the early 90’s), Dolly didn’t shy away from providing a memorable moment for some fans. As the story goes, she walked into a local Irish pub – Páidí Ó Sé’s – and the guitar player that was playing instantly recognized her. He apparently let Parton know that he knew one of her songs, and inquired about having her sing along if he played it.
What followed was a ridiculously good impromptu performance of Dolly’s 1971 hit “Coat of Many Colors.” And the guy held up his end of the deal and played respectable guitar throughout, though he did forget the words when Dolly walked over to have him join in on the singing later on in the song. In his defense, we would have all probably gotten a little flustered singing next to Dolly Parton.
Opening Dollywood
Dolly Parton had a dream of opening her own theme park in the Smoky Mountains back in the early 1980s, and like everything else she accomplished in her life, she didn’t let anyone stand in the way of her dreams. It’s actually widely known that, when Parton built and then eventually opened Dollywood in 1986, all of her accountants and lawyers told her it would be a huge mistake.
What did she do? She fired them all, replaced them with others who saw her vision, and the rest, as they say, is history. Dollywood is sprawled across 160 acres and features over 50 different rides and attractions. The Smoky Mountains theme park draws in over 3.5 million visitors a year, and it’s consistently ranked as one of the best theme parks in the country.
Parton’s Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Halftime Show in 2023
Dolly shocked the world when she came out onto the field in front of the fans at AT&T Stadium (and all the googly-eyed viewers watching on TV) sporting an iconic Dallas Cowboys cheerleader outfit for the halftime show of the Thanksgiving Day game. Parton has always been known for setting the bar high with her performances, and this one was certainly memorable.
The then 77-year-old country (and now rock) star turned a lot of heads with the cheerleading outfit, and probably almost cost one NFL announcer his job because he was so “stirred up emotionally.” It was later revealed that no one knew Parton was going to wear a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader uniform… that was a big surprise and reveal, and will go down as one of the most iconic halftime performances in sports history.
Dolly Parton’s Biggest Pet Peeves On Letterman
Throughout her career, Dolly Parton was always a favorite on the late night circuit. From Johnny Carson to Conan O’Brien to Jimmy Fallon, the country music star was a guest that would always turn the show – and her interview – into an instant classic.
There might not be a better example of that then when Dolly joined The Late Show with David Letterman. She provided her “Top Ten Pet Peeves” list, and her number one pet peeve still provides as big of a laugh today as it did back then:
“Nobody notices I’ve got a great a** too.”
Her Charitable Work & Endless Giving
Dolly Parton’s most important contribution to the world (other than her music, of course) was undoubtedly her Imagination Library: the charitable organization that provides free books to kids with from their birth until they hit the age of 5. In the 31 years since the country icon launched the organization, it’s gifted over 300,000,000 books to kids in need.
The benefits of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library are currently available in five different countries (United States, Australia, Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom), and the “Queen of Country Music” was working to expand the presence of her charity even further. She also helped raise money for children in need through The Dollywood Foundation, and often made large, charitable donations towards causes fighting natural disasters and healthcare (and wished to not be recognized for them).
In lieu of flowers, the family of Parton has asked for donations to be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at www.imaginationlibrary.com, the charity she started in honor of her father, who never learned to read or write.
Writing “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” In The Same Week
For everything Dolly did, it was unquestionably her songwriting and talent as a recording artist that has made the biggest impact on her legacy. And for a long time, it was believed that she wrote two iconic country hits, “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” in the same night.
The reason people thought that is because she said it in 2018, during an interview with Bobby Bones. However, when that became an incredible fact people started sharing everywhere, she walked it back a little and confessed that she might have not wrote them in same night, but that they were on the same tape so it could’ve been the next day or two.
Regardless, two of country music’s most legendary hits, one that Whitney Houston went on to have career-defining success with, in the same week? Incredible.
