What a light she was to everyone around her.
Though it still doesn’t feel real nearly a week later, the queen of country music, Dolly Parton, passed away on August 25th at 80 years old in Nashville, Tennessee. The “Jolene” singer had been dealing with undisclosed health issues for the last year or so, and she previously shared that she was having issues with severe kidney stones. Aside from that, she understandably didn’t share more, though clearly there were more serious issues going on.
Dolly’s rep confirmed to People that her death sadly followed a “brief battle with cancer,” though the specific kind was not revealed. She had been open about her health struggles over the last several months, though it sounds like the cancer was a more recent development.
The family announced that, at Dolly’s request, a small private service will be held for immediate family, and her nephew revealed to TMZ that Dolly will be buried “in her signature high heels and a comfortable cotton dress” in the mausoleum at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville, Tennessee, where she was buried next to her late husband Carl Dean on Friday.
Upon her death on Tuesday, the country music world — and the world at large, for that matter — has been mourning her loss. Online, legends such as George Strait, Reba and Blake Shelton, as well as Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw and Ella Langley (among plenty of others) took to social media to pen tributes, share memories and send condolences to the Parton family.
In addition to all the beautiful tributes penned, a plethora of artists have taken time to honor her live in concert recently. The big one came on Saturday at the Grand Ole Opry, where the likes of Carly Pearce, Jelly Roll, Kathy Mattea, Old Crow Medicine Show’s Ketch Secor, Molly Tuttle and more performed her biggest hits. Additionally, we’ve seen the likes of Brad Paisley fighting back tears during his first performance of “When I Get To Where I’m Going” without her, Chris Stapleton delivering a chill-inducing cover of “I Will Always Love You,” Turnpike Troubadours’ Evan Felker performing “The Last Thing On My Mind” alongside Charley Crockett, Ella Langley honoring Dolly with “Jolene,” Carrie Underwood paying tribute with a performance of “See You Again” and more.
During the same festival, YQM Country Fest, where Zach Top honored the late legend with a cover of her 1977 #1 hit, “Here You Come Again,” Post Malone took time out of his set to deliver a powerful tribute speech in remembrance of her and the kindness she spread throughout her life.
@dpostygirl POST MALONE PAYS TRIBUTE TO DOLLY PARTON. @Post Malone @Dolly Parton #postmalone #posty #dolly #dollyparton #ripdolly ♬ original sound – DPostygirl
Of course, Dolly and Post teamed up once before on “Have the Heart,” with the “Jolene” singer being one of the many legendary artists such as Hank Williams Jr., Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley and more featured on 2024’s F-1 Trillion.
Donning a classic Dolly t-shirt, the “I Had Some Help” singer reflected on the brief time he shared with her while recording the song together, noting how much kindness she showed him. Additionally, he’d touch on the impact she made on a seemingly countless number of lives.
“In the brief time that I’ve known her, [she’s] shown me so much and so much kindness and so much generosity to me. She’s changed and impacted so many people’s lives for the abolute motherf***ing better. I just wanted to raise a f***ing massive toast to the absolutely f***ing legendary Dolly Parton.”
After the crowd broke out in a “Dolly!” chant during the toast, Post would close by thanking her for inspiring “millions, if not a billion” people throughout the course of her six-decade career.
“We’re gonna miss so very, very f***ing much. Thank you for inspiring me and thank you for inspiring millions and millions, if not a billion f***ing people.”
Like many have said over the past week, there will never be another person on earth like Dolly.
Before you go, fire up “Have the Heart.”
