Country music icon Dolly Parton’s death Tuesday at 80 led to an outpouring of grief and tributes from prominent figures across politics and entertainment.
Several of Parton’s peers mourned her on social media. “I will certainly miss her [laughter], jokes and her being. Rest well and in total peace my friend,” singer Dionne Warwick wrote on X.
Singer Reba McEntire thanked her longtime friend “for all the wonderful things you did for us here on earth.”
“Your love, your music and you gave so much with your huge huge heart,” McEntire wrote. “I’ll never forget the first time I met you and I’ll never forget our last conversation. I hold it with love in my heart.”
British singer Boy George, who Parton once lamented outdressed her on stage, wrote on X that he could not believe the news: “I loved Dolly. Everyone loved Dolly!”
“What a sad day for America what a sad day for the world,” actor Henry Winkler, who directed Parton in the 1986 musical “A Smoky Mountain Christmas,” said on X, adding. “You were a treasure on this earth.”
Kristin Chenoweth, who Parton had said would be an “ideal person” to portray her in a Broadway musical, wrote on Instagram: “My ultimate inspiration. The world has lost one of the best but I know we will never forget her because she is impossible to forget.”
Leaders across the political spectrum also mourned Parton, who steadfastly avoided politics herself. President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post that Parton was “one of the greatest Country singers, and far beyond, EVER” and said her death “is a true loss for millions of people.” He said he would lower the American flag in her honor for the next week.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., called Parton an “iconic leader who loved our great state and nation” on X. “Her passing leaves a void that no one can ever fill. Dolly, we will always love you.”
Republican Rep. Diana Harshbarger, who represents Sevier County where Parton was raised, said in a statement that “no matter how big her star got, she never stopped being one of us.”
Sen. Bill Hagerty, another Tennessee Republican, described Parton as “talented beyond compare, and an entrepreneurial juggernaut” who transformed the Volunteer State.
“She brought laughter and joy to so many through her musical and philanthropic endeavors. She will be deeply, deeply missed,” he said.
Many spoke admiringly of Parton’s Imagination Library, a book gifting program for children that has provided more than 300 million books to children in the U.S. and abroad.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, credited Parton’s book program with “sparking brighter futures for thousands of children across our commonwealth.”
“There aren’t enough words to sum up the impact and legacy Dolly leaves behind, but it is clear that it will continue for generations to come,” he said.
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