Helen Bushby
Culture reporter

Image source, gett

Parton was famous for her wisdom and humour, and many of her quotes reveal just how smart she really was, along with her depth, sensitivity and optimism.

Here are just a few of her famous quotes:

• “I'm not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I'm not dumb - and I'm not blonde either.”
• "I'm pretty sharp. I'm not educated and I'm not that intelligent, but I'm smart. They say somebody's street smart. I feel like if I got intelligence, it's just a country smart."
• “It costs a lot of money to look this cheap."
• “It's a good thing I was born a girl, otherwise I'd be a drag queen.”
• “People always ask me how long it takes to do my hair. I don’t know, I’m never there.”
• "If I see something sagging, bagging and dragging, I'm going to nip it, tuck it, and suck it."

• “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain!”
• “I always just thought if you see somebody without a smile, give'em yours!”
• “I'm not going to limit myself just because people won't accept the fact that I can do something else.”
• “If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.”
• "Don't get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.”
• “Storms make trees take deeper roots.”

We've now heard from Taylor Swift, reflecting on the contribution of a fellow Tennessee country icon. Here's her statement in full:

"A world without Dolly doesn’t feel possible, real, or right. But because of the eternally generous way she spent her time on this earth and the countless lives she changed for the better, her legacy will be an everlasting one.

She was truly the gift that kept on giving. Dolly gave us someone to look up to while encouraging us to be who we are as individuals. Somehow she was able to give us her lessons about the world gently and honestly, simultaneously, and oftentimes hilariously. She managed to give the world the ultimate mystery and fantasy in some corners of her life, but to give full transparency in the ways that counted. Somehow she was true grace and true grit, all in one dazzling person. She possessed the softest heart when it came to the struggles of others, and a backbone of steel to defend her own self worth as an artist.

Along with her other fans, I am so grateful for all of it. For the melodies and lyrics she wrote that thawed even the coldest hearts. For the millions of books she provided children all over the world so that they might fall in love with stories the way she did. For the tightropes she walked so that young girls like me could grow up dreaming of joining the circus too.

Dolly, I’ll think of you each step of the way."

Image source, TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

Helen Bushby
Culture reporter

Image source, Getty Images

I was lucky enough to see Dolly Parton perform at the O2 in London, back in 2011, during her Better Day World Tour.

Aside from her note-perfect singing, natural charm and ability to chat to an audience of 20,000 like you were in her front room, she also played dozens of musical instruments.

Switching from guitar to banjo to keyboards to saxophone, she played them all like the pro she was - and this was with incredibly long fingernails (something any music student will tell you they were told to keep short!).

At one point the stage was converted to the porch of a small wooden house on a riverbank in Tennessee, like the one she was born in. She sat back in her chair on the porch, chatted about her life at home and sang Coat of Many Colors.

She was funny, touching and above all warm. Hearing her sing I Will Always Love you brought at tear to many eyes that night, mine included.

New York City's Empire State Building has honoured Dolly Parton, lighting up in pink in memory of the legendary singer.

"This is truly heartbreaking. Dolly Parton was an extraordinary person and an irreplaceable champion of the working class. We are a better country because of her," New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani wrote on X.

Image source, Getty Images

In the Great Smoky Mountains town of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, thousands of visitors turn up every week to visit Dollywood and enjoy its many Dolly-inspired attractions.

With the tagline "love every moment", visitors are invited to try out the various rides and attractions. But at its core is the "Dolly Parton experience", a walk-through of archived recordings, outfits and artefacts dedicated to Dolly's life as a performer – touring, on stage and meeting all sorts of people. It also hosts many festivals throughout the year.

So, how did the star end up with her own amusement park?

Dolly became a co-owner of the theme park in 1986. It had changed owners multiple times since it was first set up 25 years earlier and her buy-in exponentially boosted visitor numbers.

In the inaugural red ribbon ceremony to open the park, Dolly said: "I feel like today is the first time I've really come home".

Her roots run deep in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, having grown up in nearby Locust Ridge, and the theme park pays tribute year-round to its "Dreamer-in-Chief", according to Dollywood's official website.

“The greatest privilege of my life has been helping Dolly bring her dreams to life at Dollywood,” said Eugene Naughton, Dollywood Parks & Resorts President.

Fans will be able to visit the park to farewell its namesake on Wednesday.

Image source, Getty Images

Pratiksha Ghildial
Reporting from Nashville

Walking through the Nashville airport, I see some staff here clearly grieving the beloved icon.

Scott Moore says Parton was a state and national treasure as he shows me his phone wallpaper - it's Dolly wearing bright pink.

"I am shocked, I am devastated. She was my world. Nobody can replace her," he says.

On the way to baggage claim, I find a shop named after the Grand Ole Opry, the famous country music venue, and the owner Stacy Wilson is displaying a tribute to her on a TV screen.

She says that the people of Tennessee really looked up to Parton and that she is omnipresent in her home state.

"She is everywhere by way of her books, her new hotel and even the truck stop that she opened."

Helena Humphrey
Reporting from Nashville

Outside the Country Music Hall of Fame here in Nashville, people are gathering tonight to remember the queen of country music. Among them is seven-year-old Nash Greer, standing beside Dolly Parton’s star, playing a moving rendition of Coat of Many Colors on his violin.

His mum tells me they were on their way home from school when they heard the news. Nash happened to have his "fiddle" in the car and asked if they could come straight down because he loved Dolly so much.

Around him, people are laying flowers and lighting candles. Some are in well-worn cowboy boots, others in rather flashier rhinestone ones.

Of course, Jolene and 9 to 5 are among the songs Dolly Parton is best known for. But what I keep hearing here tonight is how much Coat of Many Colors means to people, her song about growing up poor in rural Tennessee.

And that story of where she came from seems to be part of why people here feel such affection for her. Again and again, they talk about what she did for other people.

Jenna Bailey, from Piney Flats, Tennessee, tells me her two children received books from Parton’s Imagination Library from the time they were babies until they turned five.

"We still have all the books," she says. "Everything she did was for other people."

Lavender Davidson puts it another way: "She should have been a billionaire, but she just kept giving money away, because that’s what it was for."

She calls Parton "the crown jewel of this state" and the "patron saint of the Appalachians".

And I think that gets at something you really feel here tonight. In a country that can often seem deeply divided, Dolly Parton was one of those rare people who brought people together, across generations, backgrounds and politics.

Image source, WireImage

Country singer and pop star Shania Twain pays tribute to Dolly Parton, sharing a clip on social media of the two of them performing Dolly's '70s hit: Coat of Many Colors.

In the reel, Twain introduces Dolly on the set of the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2003 – referring to her as "the person I always wanted to grow up to be".

"My mentor is gone," Twain writes on social media.

"My songwriting teacher and hero of grace and humility. There is a hole in my heart but the joy of just the thought of her smile will continue to fill me with inspiration for as long as I live."

Twain's songs contain a Dolly-inspired stylistic blend of country and pop.

"I will cherish this moment performing Coat Of Many Colors with Dolly forever," she writes in her tribute.

"Goodbye Dolly. Rest in peace, beautiful angel."

All the living former US presidents have issued statements praising Parton's legacy and philanthropy along with contributions to American culture.

Bill Clinton described Parton as a "one of a kind" songwriter and performer who "told the stories of everyday Americans with honesty, humility, and heart".

He said that he and former First Lady and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had been big fans since seeing her in 1974 and praised her contributions to promoting literacy.

George W Bush said he and his wife Laura "loved her music and her style. She was a great entertainer and even greater person. We respected her work to promote literacy, advance health, and strengthen communities".

"It’s hard to imagine many people having a bigger impact than Dolly Parton," Barack Obama wrote before listing some of her charitable endeavours and accolades.

Joe Biden said she was "a relentless advocate for women and for equality" among other things, adding: "But perhaps most importantly, Dolly treated everyone with kindness and respect."

Earlier, US President Donald Trump paid tribute to Parton and said that American flags would be lowered in her honour for one week - an exceedingly rare observance, according to BBC North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher.

Image source, Getty Images

Speaking to reporters before her headline act on the Pyramid Stage in 2014, Dolly Parton described her excitement at performing at Glastonbury.

"I can't believe I've never done this before," she said.

"I'm excited about it."

She revealed she'd even written a song about Glastonbury's muddy conditions.

Sareen Habeshian
Reporting from Los Angeles

Dolly Parton's legacy reached unexpected musical genres, transcending well beyond country music to include rap, metal, R&B and beyond.

The endless stream of tributes that have poured in for the singer showed how beloved she was across all genres and countries - and among celebrities and fans across multiple generations.

American heavy and glam metal band Mötley Crüe said Parton "was not only one of the greatest songwriters of all time, but a bright, shining star who helped change the world for the better".

The country star had teamed up with the metal band for a reimagined duet version of the band's 1985 power ballad "Home Sweet Home", released last year.

Rapper Eminem noted that even while he had never met Parton, she still made her mark on his life with a note she sent calling him "very special".

"I'm sorry we never got a chance to meet, but getting this note from Dolly really had a an impact on me. She definitely didn't have to take the time to do it," he said, posting a photo of a letter from her congratulating him on his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

"Even for a kid who mostly listened to rap music, she was an icon," he added. "A superstar in every sense. Rest easy Dolly. And thank you for the kind words."

Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney called Parton a "magnificent star", as Rocket Man singer Elton John dubbed her a "giant of an artist" who was "irreplaceable".

Cuban-American singer Gloria Estefan said her "heart was heavy", noting Parton's legacy was "so much more" than her musical career.

Image source, Getty Images

American singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile has written a heartfelt tribute to Parton, sharing an occasion when the late superstar "took my face in her hands and prayed over me".

"I've never been the same since. Her prayers were maybe more powerful than mine or anyone else's, because that prayer has had a very long rainbow colored halo and I hope it last me my whole life."

She added that she's married to an "agnostic Londoner" and laughed out loud as she watched Parton call "can I get an amen?" from the crowd during the Glastonbury music festival in the UK.

"The sound of two hundred thousand immediate British 'Amens' is something that causes me to burst into American hysterics at least once a week!"

She goes on to praise Parton for being an ally to the gay community, saying: "She never wavered on accepting anyone for who they were and who they were meant to be".

She also called Parton "obscenely generous, whip smart, and possessing the kind of otherwordly discernment I'll never stop chasing".

Shaimaa Khalil
North America correspondent, reporting from Los Angeles

Kitten KaySera is a performer here in Hollywood and a Dolly Parton superfan.

She showed up in front of the country music's star dressed in an all-pink outfit with pink lipstick and a pink dyed puppy on her arm.

Her pink cowboy hat is adorned with rhinestones a la Dolly. She tells me how she broke down while waiting for her morning coffee when she found out about Parton's passing.

She also told me how the legendary artist had inspired her to “never be afraid” to put on a show.

“I'm from the south so I can relate to Dolly Parton. I always dress up, you know life is a runway and just have fun with life.

"I will just remember her as being an angel and very inspiring and ... in a dark world she was the light; a light that never went out.”

Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu
Live reporter

Image source, Penske Media via Getty Images

Dolly Parton had cancelled several scheduled performances in recent months.

In May, she pulled out of a much awaited music residency in Las Vegas for health reasons.

In a cheerful video message to fans in May, Dolly Parton said her immune and digestive system had "got all out of whack" over the last three years but she was "responding really well to meds and treatments". She added it was going to take a little while to get back to full health.

The treatments "make me a little bit swimmy headed... and of course, I can't be dizzy carrying around banjos, guitars and such on 5-inch heels - and you know that I'm going to be wearing them," she joked.

While she wasn't specific about her health challenges, she said it stemmed from complications with kidney stones, a condition she has spoken about publicly before.

The video statement came months after fans were scared in October by a message her sister Frieda Parton posted asking for prayers for the music icon.

Dolly Parton responded to the panic with a separate message at the time. "I'm not ready to die yet," she said adding that after husband Carl Dean's death in 2025, she hadn't been taking care of herself.

In a statement to US media after he death, her team has now said she was "facing a brief battle with cancer" and died at a Nashville cancer hospital.

Josh Parry
LGBT and identity reporter

Dolly Parton was a huge fan of the drag scene.

In an interview with Good Morning America, she even admitted she once competed in a Dolly Parton drag look-a-like contest in West Hollywood - and lost!

Baga Chipz, most famous for appearing on Drag Race UK said: "Thank you for everything Dolly."

Cynthia Lee Fontaine, who competed on the American version of the show, posted a video on Instagram, calling Parton a "goddess" and a "beautiful, amazing queen".

Fontaine added: "We’re always going to honour her memory. Thank you for the love and support you provide for the LGBT community, the trans community, and all the love and support you provided."

Image source, Getty Images

Emma Saunders
Culture reporter

Image source, Getty Images

The singer's philanthropy over the years went beyond her famous Imagination Library scheme.

Back in November 2020, Parton declared she felt "very honoured and proud" to have given money to research into the development of one of the Covid-19 vaccines.

In the spring of that year, she had announced she was giving $1m (£750,000) to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.

That was one of the trial sites for the Moderna vaccine, which went on to become an approved jab in the fight against the virus.

Parton told The One Show she was "so excited" to hear the news.

"I'm sure many millions of dollars from many people went into that. But I just felt so proud to have been part of that little seed money that will hopefully grow into something great and help to heal this world."

The following year, she sang an adapted version of Jolene before receiving the Moderna shot at the Nashville medical centre, to encourage others to take part.

"Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, I'm begging of you, please don't hesitate," Parton sang in a video.

We are still learning more about the circumstances of Dolly Parton's death.

"After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones," her team said in a statement to CBS, the BBC's US partner.

In recent months, Dolly Parton pulled out of several public appearances to deal with "health challenges".

Image source, Getty Images

Grace Eliza Goodwin
US reporter

Beyoncé - perhaps one of the few superstars in the world whose popularity can rival that of Dolly Parton - has called Parton "one of one" in a message posted to her website.

“Dolly, you were the barometer. The north star. Bold and brilliant. Talented and tenacious. You taught so many lessons on how to be uniquely oneself. I am grateful for your art, your heart, your generosity, your humor, your entrepreneurship," Beyoncé writes.

Beyoncé's 2024 country album, Cowboy Carter, famously featured a rendition of Parton's song Jolene. Although Beyoncé significantly rewrote portions of the song, she gave Parton sole songwriting credit on the album, granting Parton royalties for the revised version.

"I’m honored that I had the privilege to work with you. I will treasure that forever. Thank you for your profound impact on the world. You are an angel who has made this world a happier place because of your joyful art. You are truly one of one. Rest peacefully.”

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Pop star Sabrina Carpenter has said she will cherish Parton's " playful outlook on life" and "perfect sense of humour".

"The only thing I could say after we first met was 'she really is an angel walking the earth' and 'we look like we could be sisters!'" Carpenter writes on Instagram alongside pictures of her and Parton together.

The two iconic blonde singers collaborated in 2025 for a country-inspired remix and music video of Carpenter's song Please Please Please.

"I will cherish our laughter and conversations and I will keep your wisdom, your playful outlook on life, and perfect sense of humour in my pocket for the rainy days," Carpenter continues.

"Your light will be something the world will search forever to find again."