Dolly Parton has died aged 80, prompting tributes from Hollywood. Jennifer Lopez, Reese Witherspoon, Kelly Clarkson and other stars remember the legend.
- Dolly Parton’s death has sparked an outpouring of tributes. From those fortunate enough to know her to those who grew up with her music, some of the world’s biggest stars are remembering her talent, generosity and legacy.
The death of Dolly Parton at the age of 80, announced on Tuesday, 25 August through a video featuring one of her nephews, has shocked the entertainment industry. Singers, actors, designers and public figures who shared moments with her have taken to social media to say goodbye to an artist whose influence transcended the boundaries of country music for decades.
The songwriter behind universally loved songs including ‘Jolene’, ‘9 to 5’ and ‘I Will Always Love You’, Parton was also an actress, businesswoman and prominent philanthropist. The tributes published following her death have also revealed a much more personal side: that of a woman who, even after achieving extraordinary fame, seemed to retain a remarkable ability to make everyone she met feel special.
- Reese Witherspoon remembers how Dolly Parton changed her career
Reese Witherspoon has shared one of the most personal tributes. The actress recalled that while preparing to play June Carter Cash in ‘Walk the Line’, Parton invited her to dinner and told her stories about how June managed to win over everyone in the country music industry.
“Dolly gave me the courage to put my whole spirit into that performance,” Witherspoon explained, adding that the singer continued sending her supportive notes throughout her career. She would often end them with three words that carried particular significance coming from her: “I will always love you.”
- Jennifer Lopez: “She made our world a more beautiful place”
Jennifer Lopez also joined the tributes, highlighting the authenticity that made Parton such a unique figure. JLo described her career as “a masterclass in how to light up the world by being authentically yourself”.
“Through songs, humour and love, she made our lives and our world a better, more beautiful place. I will miss you, Dolly,” she wrote.
- Kelly Clarkson remembers how she made everyone feel special
For Kelly Clarkson, one of Parton’s most extraordinary qualities had little to do with the stage. The singer said Dolly possessed a special ability to make everyone feel important.
“She had a way of making everyone feel special, seen and welcome, like you were old friends,” Clarkson recalled, while also highlighting the extraordinary musical catalogue she leaves behind.
- Khloé Kardashian says goodbye to “a once-in-a-lifetime soul”
Khloé Kardashian was particularly emotional. A long-time admirer of Parton, she even had the opportunity to welcome her as a guest on her podcast Khloé in Wonderland.
“Some people are so extraordinary that their existence almost feels impossible,” she wrote. Kardashian described Parton as “a once-in-a-lifetime soul” and admitted how difficult it was to explain what it meant to go from admiring her to having the opportunity to know her personally.
- Sarah Jessica Parker: “We didn’t have to know her to love her”
Sarah Jessica Parker never had the opportunity to meet Dolly Parton personally, but that was precisely where she found the meaning of her extraordinary cultural reach.
“I don’t think any of us had to know her to love her,” the actress wrote. Parker described her as “one of the best this country has produced” and remembered her commitment to people who needed someone willing to speak up for them.
- Donatella Versace remembers one of the “most generous” souls
The fashion world is also mourning her death. Donatella Versace described Parton as “one of the kindest and most generous souls” and one of music’s greatest storytellers.
“So many lives were better because of you. Thank you, Dolly, for everything,” the designer wrote.
- Lauren Sánchez Bezos focuses on her charitable legacy
Lauren Sánchez Bezos recalled first getting to know Dolly through her songs before, years later, discovering the person behind the legend. Her tribute focused particularly on the Imagination Library, Parton’s initiative providing free books to children.
The project had a deeply personal meaning because her father never learnt to read. “She used to say she always tried to put her money where her heart was. Her heart was with children,” Sánchez Bezos recalled.
- Paris Hilton: “My forever icon”
Paris Hilton chose a much shorter but equally meaningful farewell: “My forever icon. You will be missed.”
The reactions demonstrate just how unusual a place Dolly Parton had secured within American culture. She could simultaneously be a country superstar, a fashion icon, a songwriter respected by generations of performers and a beloved personality even among people who had never bought one of her records.
Hollywood is now continuing to say goodbye, but her songs will make it virtually impossible for her to disappear from popular culture. As Reese Witherspoon wrote, borrowing the title of her most universal song: “We will always love you.”
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