分类： entertainment

When news of Dolly Parton’s passing broke this week, Americans across every political and cultural divide united in grief, celebrating the life of a one-of-a-kind entertainer whose legacy stretched far beyond the country music stage. To the world, Parton was many things: a genre-defying musician, a Hollywood star, a shrewd business leader, and a dedicated philanthropist whose giving lifted millions. One title she never claimed, however, was politician – a choice that became the foundation of her rare, cross-cutting appeal in an increasingly divided nation.

The question of public office has followed Parton for decades. Back in 1999, during an appearance on the talk show *Prime Time Country!*, a young audience member asked if she would ever run for political office. With her signature sharp, warm wit, Parton demurred, quipping: “I think of myself more as a diplomat. That’s the kind of people who tell you to go to hell in such a way you look forward to the trip.”

That self-described diplomacy turned Parton into a rare unicorn in modern American society. Her fanbase spanned generations, from great-grandmothers to Gen Z fans, and included Republicans and Democrats, drag performers and evangelical Christians alike. For Sarah Phillips, an Indiana University professor who made Parton the subject of an acclaimed anthropology course, the icon’s ability to bridge deep political and cultural divides was unparalleled. Phillips, who still struggles to refer to Parton in the past tense, says she broke down in tears in her office when she heard the news of her death, a testament to how deeply Parton touched even those who study her career academically.

Public opinion data bears out that unprecedented cross-group appeal. A recent YouGov poll put Parton’s net approval rating at 65% – far outpacing major figures from across the political and entertainment spectrum: former President Barack Obama scored 14%, pop star Taylor Swift earned 3%, former President Donald Trump hit -19%, and current President Joe Biden landed at -18%.

Parton’s universal appeal stemmed from a deliberate, consistent choice: she refused to pick sides in partisan politics, wary of alienating the broad community of fans that supported her. “I’ve got as many Republican fans as Democrats and I don’t want to make any of them mad at me, so I don’t play politics,” she once told Fox News. That commitment to neutrality even led her to turn down one of the nation’s highest civilian honors twice: she declined offers of the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Donald Trump, citing scheduling and health concerns, and later turned it down from Joe Biden as well, to avoid appearing to favor one party over the other.

Yet to frame Parton as apolitical would be a mistake. While she avoided partisan clashes, she spoke openly and consistently on core social issues, including women’s rights, LGBTQ+ equality, and Black Lives Matter. Phillips argues that this combination of refusal to align with a partisan camp and commitment to speaking her truth is what made her so widely beloved.

“She has always been a model for women, carving your own path, looking out for yourself, making sure that you retain the rights to your intellectual property, looking out for your own financial and creative independence,” Phillips told the BBC. “And if that’s not feminism, I don’t know what is.”

Parton broke the mold of country music stardom from the earliest days of her career. After rising to become a crossover pop sensation in 1977, she retained her loyal country audience while growing her global following. Three years later, she made her film debut alongside Jane Fonda in the workplace rights comedy *9 to 5*. At the time, Fonda was widely shunned in conservative circles for her anti-Vietnam War activism, but Parton refused to distance herself from her co-star to appease fans. “I respect anybody’s beliefs and the fact that they’re willing to stand up for whatever it is. But I’m also the kind of person that if I don’t like where you got it, I can tell you where to put it,” she said at the time. Following Parton’s death, Fonda paid tribute, writing: “She is woven into all our lives and hearts forever.”

Parton’s carefully cultivated public image – glamorous, camp, and endlessly warm – was no accident. A shrewd entrepreneur who understood both showbusiness and human nature, she intentionally crafted a persona that brought people together. When journalist Barbara Walters questioned her over-the-top aesthetic in a 1977 interview, asking if Parton saw herself as a joke, Parton pushed back with characteristic confidence. “Everybody thinks that the joke’s on me, but in fact, the joke is on the public. I know very well what I’m doing, and I can change my image any time I want to,” she told Walters. Phillips notes that moment was a perfect demonstration of Parton’s self-possession: she was always in control of her own narrative.

Over decades, journalists repeatedly tried to draw Parton into partisan political fights, but she always pivoted away, using humor and self-deprecation as her shields. At a 2016 press conference, when asked about the presidential race, she joked: “I’ve been thinking about running myself… we could use a few more boobs in the race.” Though Parton’s father campaigned for his daughter in his own way, driving around town with a “Dolly for President” bumper sticker, she never pursued public office.

Instead, she channeled her energy and fortune into philanthropy, work rooted in her own experience growing up in abject poverty in rural Appalachian Tennessee. One of 12 children raised in a one-bedroom log cabin, Parton never forgot her roots. When her career took off, she employed dozens of family members in her businesses and invested heavily in her local community. In 1986, she purchased a struggling mountain theme park near her hometown, rebranding it Dollywood – today, it remains the largest employer in the entire county. She also founded the Imagination Library, a program that mails free books to children around the world, and contributed critical early funding to the development of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine.

Those who worked with Parton highlight her quiet, personal kindness, which extended far beyond large charitable donations. James Rogers, board president of the American Eagle Foundation, which partners with Dollywood on a bald eagle sanctuary, recalled a decades-old encounter that stuck with him. When Parton arrived for a performance, she spotted Rogers, his wife, and his 10-year-old daughter Heather waiting off to the side, and stopped her entire entourage to kneel down and talk to the little girl one on one. “She’s even sweeter than you realise,” Rogers said.

Phillips, who grew up in the North Carolina mountains just across the valley from Parton’s Tennessee hometown, describes Parton’s approach to contentious issues as “Dollitics” – a term coined by Parton’s nephew that captures her commitment to lifting everyone up, rather than defeating political opponents. “She wants all boats to rise,” Phillips said.

Phillips added that Parton embodied the core, old-fashioned American Dream: the idea that with talent and relentless hard work, anyone can build the life they want. And unlike so many public figures, Parton was truly one of a kind. When Phillips traveled through Europe this summer, she asked audiences across France and Poland to name their own country’s Dolly Parton. No one ever had an answer. There will never be another like her.

In the wake of the passing of legendary country music icon Dolly Parton, dozens of grieving fans flocked to her star on the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame on Tuesday evening to lay flowers, leave handwritten notes, and share personal stories celebrating her decades-long legacy. The BBC’s Los Angeles-based correspondent Shaimaa Khalil was on location, reporting live from the tribute gathering, capturing the raw emotion of supporters who had traveled from across the country to honor the star.

Witnesses described a quiet, reverent atmosphere mixed with moments of joyful remembrance, as fans sang snippets of Parton’s most beloved hits and recalled how her music and philanthropy had touched their lives. Many attendees brought handwritten messages highlighting Parton’s advocacy for literacy, childhood education, and disaster relief efforts, underscoring that her impact extended far beyond the entertainment industry. Local organizers confirmed that the star has become an impromptu memorial in the days following the announcement of her death, with a steady stream of visitors stopping by to pay their respects since Tuesday morning.

Country music legend and cultural trailblazer Dolly Parton has died at the age of 78, prompting an outpouring of heartfelt tributes from across the political, entertainment and global spectrums that underscores her far-reaching impact beyond the world of music.

Parton’s passing on Tuesday comes after ongoing health complications that forced her to cancel a planned Las Vegas residency earlier this year, ending a decades-long career that redefined country music and earned her a place as one of the most beloved figures in modern culture.

A who’s who of A-list entertainment figures have led the wave of remembrances, with each sharing personal anecdotes that highlight Parton’s unmatched talent, generosity and warm, unapologetic authenticity. Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney, who first met Parton in Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry just as she was launching her solo career, remembered her as a constantly vibrant, larger-than-life presence. “She was so bubbly and full of life, it is difficult to take in the news that she has passed,” McCartney shared. “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.”

Elton John, who shared the stage with Parton at the 2005 Country Music Association Awards, echoed that sentiment, saying he was “shocked and devastated” by the news. “A giant of an artist — unique and irreplaceable, with the kindest heart,” the Rocket Man singer wrote of his longtime friend and collaborator.

Media icon Oprah Winfrey recalled her fond memory of sharing a chaotic, joyful moment with Parton on Parton’s self-titled 1980s variety show, where the pair wore sparkling Bob Mackie gowns and “had a hoot and a holler.” Winfrey praised the Tennessee native for building an extraordinary legacy from humble beginnings. “This girl from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee dreamed a life and then lived a life bigger than she could have ever imagined, giving so generously to others in ways we saw and ways we didn’t,” she wrote.

The tributes stretch across every musical genre, proving Parton’s cross-cultural appeal that united fans from country stages to rap arenas. Longtime country collaborator Reba McEntire, who shared a 2017 Academy of Country Music Awards honor with Parton, thanked the late icon for her decades of kindness and creativity. “Your love, your music and you gave so much with your huge huge heart. There will never ever be another you,” McEntire wrote. “We will remember and cherish every memory and every note you ever played and sang. Thank you, Lord, for Dolly. She’s gonna have a blast in heaven singing all her favorite songs with all her family and friends who have gone on before her.”

Even artists who never got the chance to meet Parton spoke to the mark she left on their careers. Rapper Eminem shared a photo of a handwritten note Parton sent him when he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, in which she called him “very special.” “I’m sorry we never got a chance to meet, but getting this note from Dolly really had an impact on me. She definitely didn’t have to take the time to do it,” Eminem said. “Even for a kid who mostly listened to rap music, she was an icon. A superstar in every sense. Rest easy Dolly. And thank you for the kind words.”

A roster of other rock and pop stars added their voices to the remembrances: Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger called Parton a “wonderful songwriter and singer who brought so many people together”; Cyndi Lauper named her a lifelong role model, saying “it was hard for me to imagine the world without Dolly”; and Gloria Estefan noted that Parton’s legacy stretched far beyond her chart-topping hits. “She was a force of nature whose enormous talent was matched by an even bigger heart,” Estefan wrote. “She brought joy, laughter, comfort and inspiration to generations, always with that unmistakable warmth, wit and authenticity that made everyone feel like they knew her.”

Parton’s appeal transcended political divisions, with current and former U.S. presidents from both major parties joining the chorus of mourning. Republican incumbent Donald Trump called her death a “true loss for millions of people” and ordered all American flags across the country be lowered to half-staff in her memory — a rare honor typically reserved for high-ranking elected officials. “There has never been anyone like her, and never will,” Trump wrote in a social media post. “Rest in Peace, Dolly! The World loves you.”

Former Democratic President Bill Clinton echoed that praise, noting that he and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had been huge fans of Parton since seeing her perform back in 1974. “One of a kind — a great songwriter and performer who told the stories of everyday Americans with honesty, humility, and heart,” Clinton said, adding that Parton “never forgot where she came from” even as her global fame grew, and remained dedicated to giving back to communities through her charity work.

Even global political figures joined the tributes: Australian Prime Minister Antony Albanese shared his affection for Parton, praising her lifelong advocacy for causes including children’s literacy and women’s health.

Hollywood also mourned the loss of a star who found equal success on the big and small screen, with memorable roles in *9 to 5*, *Steel Magnolias* and *Hannah Montana*. Keke Palmer, who starred alongside Parton in the 2012 musical comedy *Joyful Noise*, shared a photo of the pair alongside the note, “I’m devastated. Truly.” *Halloween* star Jamie Lee Curtis called Parton a personal hero and “a great example for us all,” while Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, who hosted Parton as a guest star on his series *The Orville*, said her kindness was “evident from moment one.”

Across the country music industry, contemporary stars shared how Parton paved the way for their own careers. Kacey Musgraves, who has frequently covered Parton’s work and honored her at the 2019 Grammy Awards, wrote that “the world feels a lot less sparkly all of a sudden.” Country star Blake Shelton, who worked with Parton as a fellow coach on the hit TV series *The Voice*, said Parton was exactly the warm, fun-loving person fans saw on stage. “I can say with absolute certainty that we are all feeling the same heart brokenness today,” Shelton wrote. “I want everyone to know that she was the EXACT person that you think she is. It was like being with the funnest, most loving, most caring and closest member of your family.”

The unprecedented wave of cross-industry, cross-border and cross-partisan tributes confirms what fans have known for decades: Dolly Parton was far more than a country singer — she was a cultural unifier whose talent, generosity and irrepressible joy touched multiple generations of fans around the world.

Legendary American country music icon Dolly Parton, whose decades-long career reshaped the genre and won the hearts of millions across the globe, has died at the age of 80. Born into a working-class family of 12 children in rural Tennessee, Parton rose to stardom in the late 1960s, crafting a signature sound that blended heartfelt country storytelling with accessible pop sensibilities. Her discography explored deeply personal themes from growing up in poverty to love, loss, female empowerment, and spiritual faith, cementing her status as not just a musician, but a cultural icon. To mark her passing, we look back on her extraordinary life and legacy through the lens of six of her most beloved and defining songs.

First among these is the 1971 autobiographical classic *Coat of Many Colors*, which Parton herself often named as her personal favorite. The gentle acoustic country-folk track pulls back the curtain on her impoverished childhood, framing her family’s lack of material wealth through the boundless love her mother gave her. Woven into the narrative are timeless lessons about bullying, acceptance, and the power of parental love, which Parton once described as a “little story” that covers “a world of things. The iconic lyrics, “Now I know we had no money, but I was rich as I could be / In my coat of many colors my momma made for me,” have resonated with generations of listeners. The track has been covered by stars ranging from Shania Twain to Eva Cassidy, and ranked second on Rolling Stone’s 2023 list of Parton’s 50 greatest songs. The outlet noted that even if Parton had never written another song, this track alone would have secured her an “indelible legacy” for its raw expression of both overwhelming pride and quiet anguish. Beyond the song, *Coat of Many Colors* became the title of Parton’s children’s book and a 2015 TV movie about her early life. The original hand-stitched coat’s legacy lives on at the Dollywood theme park museum in Tennessee, where her mother Avie Lee Parton later created a new patchwork coat for public display.

Next comes *Jolene*, one of Parton’s most iconic and enduring hits, inspired by her early marriage to Carl Dean, her husband of 60 years who passed away in 2025. Parton wrote the track after a young red-headed bank clerk openly flirted with Dean early in their marriage, turning a small, relatable moment of jealousy into one of country music’s most memorable stories. Instead of leaning into anger or vengeance, the song puts Parton’s vulnerability front and center, with its narrator begging the captivating Jolene not to take her man. It became Parton’s second number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in 1974, earned her a Grammy nomination, and marked her first entry into the all-genre Hot 100 chart. Parton later joked that the story was never a serious threat to her marriage, telling the BBC’s *The One Show* in 2023 that “there’s always a Jolene in somebody’s life,” and quipped that as an older woman, she would gladly joke that Jolene could have her sleeping husband. Today, *Jolene* remains Parton’s most streamed track, with more than 913 million plays on Spotify, and critics from *Rolling Stone* to *The Guardian* universally name it her best work. In 2024, Beyoncé reimagined the track for her *Cowboy Carter* album, revising the iconic opening plea to a firmer warning: “I’m warning you, don’t come for my man.”

Parton’s 1974 hit *I Will Always Love You* holds a unique place in music history, despite its romantic title, the track was never a romantic breakup ballad: it was a tender farewell to her mentor and musical collaborator Porter Wagoner, as she asked for his blessing to pursue a solo career. Parton joined Wagoner’s variety television show at 21, and the pair toured and recorded a string of popular duets that turned her into a rising star, but as her fame grew, their relationship grew complicated. Parton later recalled that Wagoner viewed her rising success as a threat to his own status, and she needed to make a clean break to grow as an artist. The track’s raw, bittersweet lyricism won immediate acclaim, with Rough Trade’s music blog describing it as “heartwarming in its sentiment, crushing in its delivery.” When Elvis Presley sought to cover the track in 1974, Parton made the difficult decision to walk away from the deal after Presley’s manager demanded half of the songwriting royalties, a choice she said left her heartbroken but certain she had made the right call. Parton re-recorded the track for her 1982 film debut in *The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas*, but the most famous version came from Whitney Houston, who recorded a powerhouse cover for the 1992 film *The Bodyguard*. Houston’s version remains the best-selling single by a female artist in US history, and Parton once recalled that she first heard the cover while driving, and had to pull over to avoid crashing her car, overwhelmed by how Houston turned her “little country song” into something far greater.

The freedom Parton gained after splitting from Wagoner inspired her 1977 track *Light of a Clear Blue Morning*, which she called her “song of deliverance.” Fresh from negotiating her exit, Parton drove home through a heavy rainstorm, and when the clouds parted to reveal bright sunlight, the idea for the hopeful, spiritual track came to her. Raised singing in church as a child, Parton wove themes of new beginnings and spiritual freedom into the track, which became a personal anthem for her next chapter as a solo star. The lyrics were later reworked for the soundtrack to her 1992 romantic comedy *Straight Talk*, and earlier in 2026, Parton released a new charity version of the track to benefit pediatric cancer research, featuring her goddaughter Miley Cyrus, Lainey Wilson, Queen Latifah, and Reba McEntire.

The 1980 anthem *9 to 5* marked a major turning point in Parton’s career, catapulting her from country star to mainstream global icon. Written as the theme song for the comedy film of the same name, the track saw Parton make her big-screen acting debut alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, telling the story of three overworked office women pushing back against their rude, bigoted boss. The song’s iconic opening tapping beat is not a drum machine: it is the sound of Parton’s own acrylic nails, which she realized mimicked the click of typewriter keys as she wrote the lyrics on set. The defiant track about workplace female empowerment topped charts around the world, earned Parton two Grammys, an Oscar nomination, and later inspired a hit Broadway musical and a documentary.

The final of Parton’s six iconic tracks is her 1983 duet *Islands in the Stream* with legendary country star Kenny Rogers, written by the Gibb brothers of the Bee Gees as a Motown-inspired love song. The track became a massive cross-over hit, topping both the country and pop charts and selling millions of copies worldwide, and it remains one of the most popular karaoke and duet tracks of all time. Speaking to Smooth Radio in 2023, 40 years after the track’s release, Parton called her collaboration with Rogers “another thing I’m as proud of as anything I ever did in my musical career,” adding, “You want to do well and keeping up with the likes of Barry [Gibb] and Kenny [Rogers], but I just figure I’ll just always be me and do me and that seems to work.”

Beyond these six defining tracks, Parton’s discography holds countless other fan favorites, from the controversial 1970 story of grief *Down from Dover*, which Wagoner urged her not to release, to the lyrical meditation on love and loss *The Bargain Store* (1975), and her first major crossover pop hit *Here You Come Again* (1977), which proved her range far beyond traditional country. Across more than 50 years in the public eye, Dolly Parton’s legacy is defined not just by her chart-topping music, but by her ability to turn personal experience into universal stories that have resonated across generations and genres.

A baseless viral rumor claiming the passing of legendary country music icon Dolly Parton triggered an outpouring of raw grief from fans across the United States this week, with hundreds of listeners gathering at public sites to honor the musician they believed had died. Reporters from the BBC traveled to Los Angeles to speak with fans who left flowers, handwritten notes, and memorabilia at Parton’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, while also connecting with heartbroken supporters in Washington D.C. to discuss the enduring cultural impact the star has had on their lives. Many attendees described themselves as “heartbroken” over the false news, sharing personal stories of how Parton’s decades of music, philanthropy, and public generosity had shaped their own lives and connected generations of families. As of the latest official updates, the rumor of Parton’s death has been confirmed to be a hoax, but the widespread immediate reaction highlights the enormous affection and reverence the public holds for the 78-year-old entertainment icon.