OT: Dolly Parton dies, 80 years old

Always thought she was extremely underrated. Career that expanded decades. Iconic songs. Successful business person. One of a kind.

Also had a crush on her 45 years ago.

This one huirts.

A message from the family of Dolly Parton. pic.twitter.com/9DNRgRx0uH

— Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) August 25, 2026

She will be missed. Loved her music. Kind, wonderful lady.

Damn...

What a voice!

Hell, this word needs more humanitarians and not one fewer.

RIP Dolly P.

Dolly Parton carried the music, stories and spirit of her Tennessee mountain home wherever she went. She was a lifelong champion of the Great Smoky Mountains and proudly shared her love for them with the world.

While we may no longer see her working 9 to 5, we will always love… pic.twitter.com/9CMx6M3giO

— US Department of the Interior (@Interior) August 25, 2026

One of music's true greats. She will be remembered by millions. R.I.P. Dolly

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has given away over 200 million books to kids. Her music will live forever but to those kids the books will be with them for life. https://t.co/wPkT8GShZb pic.twitter.com/unln3q5QwX

— Colin Jones (@colinjones) August 25, 2026

She wrote hundreds of songs, including classics like ‘’Jolene,’’ ‘’Coat of Many Colors’’ and ‘’I Will Always Love You,’’ that totaled more than 100 million worldwide sales and more than 1 billion online streams. Parton, who plucked bejeweled banjos, guitar and dulcimers with her long fingernails during performances, was a generous philanthropist and successful businesswoman whose projects included a theme park in the Smoky Mountain foothills near her birthplace.

Her career was forever influenced by her upbringing as one of 12 children born into what she called a ‘’dirt poor’’ Tennessee family.

She started her education nonprofit, Imagination Library, to send free books to children in Tennessee because her father, who quit school to work on the farm, struggled to learn to read.

Parton’s first musical performances were in church, where her grandfather was a preacher. By age 10, she was learning guitar and singing on local television shows. At 13, she appeared on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, where Johnny Cash introduced her as ‘’a little girl here from up in East Tennessee.’’

For millions of fans, she was simply ‘’Dolly,’’ a mixture of Southern charm, humor and glamour. But she was also considered a feminist role model for holding the reins of her own career, writing her own songs, owning her content and looking after her finances in an entertainment world dominated by men.

Parton was open to making fun of herself; when she hosted ‘’Saturday Night Live’’ in 1989 she told the writers that her only restrictions were she wouldn’t curse and she wouldn’t make fun of Jesus. She regularly joked about her breasts or her dumb blonde appearance, but with a wink that she was the one controlling the laughs.

Kenny has his partner again...

There will never be another like her. true talent, absolute charmer. national treasure. pic.twitter.com/PofgRCj5Kl

— Matt’s Idea Shop (@MattsIdeaShop) August 25, 2026

JimmyinSD wrote:

Kenny has his partner again...

And her husband Carl Dean too, married since the mid-60's.

He passed just last year at 82. Didn't have to wait too long for her.

Dolly was also godmother to Miley Cyrus - very close to her daddy.

Dolly was an amazing talent, but even more so inspiring as a person, so incredibly positive, warm and loving. This really hurts.

Truly a great. Tremendous philanthropist. Talented. Salt of the earth.