‘Dolly was larger than life. She was so much more than just a country music star or a celebrity; she was an example of true humanity and goodness.’
By now you’ve probably read countless celebrity tributes and culture critics mourning Dolly Parton, who died Aug. 25 at 80 years old. The flag outside the White House has flown at half-staff. The King’s Guard serenaded Buckingham Palace with a rendition of “9 to 5.” And millions have gathered in their cities to grieve in a seemingly impossible moment of unity, here and across the globe.
So we asked you, our readers, to share your memories and your hopes for this legend’s singular legacy. Unsurprisingly, your responses were sad, sweet and moving, and filled with humor and grace befitting the Queen of Country Music and so many American hearts.
Read a collection of your responses below. For more opportunities to weigh in, visit usatoday.com/forum, leave us a voicemail at (202) 655-3923 or drop us a note at forum@usatoday.com.
Dolly left us a template for a better world
The word that springs to mind thinking about Dolly Parton is “pure.” She seemed totally incapable of offending another human, or speaking negatively about anyone, or even having a hateful thought. She seemed to see only the good in people, and to feel an obligation to do her part to make the world better, not just complain about its problems.
Who among us can claim to have never made an enemy or at least angered someone? But I’m convinced she never did. A huge loss for our world, but maybe one of her parting gifts, as the news coverage and remembrances continue in the coming days, might be an awakening of how we all might shift our thoughts and actions toward a more loving and giving existence. She sure did lay out the template for us.
— Barb Blake, North Carolina
Forever our Backwoods Barbie
Growing up in the hills of Appalachia, Dolly was an ever-present fixture in our lives. For as long as I can remember, we would head to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, every other weekend to visit Dollywood – belting her country hits the whole way up the Blue Ridge Parkway.
When we arrived, we’d ride the Rockin’ Roadway at Jukebox Junction and the Tennessee Tornado in Craftsman’s Valley, and repeatedly visit the Rags to Riches theater to hear Dolly’s story over and over and hear songs like “Coat of Many Colors” and “Applejack.”
My mom, a singer herself, was her biggest fan, and my sister and I were so inundated with Dolly’s tunes, sayings and stories that we had no choice but to follow suit! I keep a shrine to her in my closet, so I see her every morning, and even had a cardboard cutout of her at our wedding (she was too busy to come … understandable).
Her music, her generosity (Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library), her positive outlook, her ability to open doors for not only country singers but all of Appalachia – our Backwoods Barbie, diamond in a rhinestone world, will be so missed.
— Sarah Gehring, New York
Dolly Parton’s death hit home. She helped me love the South | Opinion
For those of us who grew up in Appalachia, or in the South in general, Dolly Parton was one of our proudest cultural exports.
We will always love you, Dolly
I grew up listening to Dolly Parton with my mom, and I took my daughter to Dollywood more than 100 times over the years. We always cherished the times we got to see Dolly Parton in person during her parades.
Dolly was larger than life. She was so much more than just a country music star or a celebrity; she was an example of true humanity and goodness. She was a light in the darkness and a beacon of hope for humanity.
We will always love and miss you, Dolly.
— Scott Anderson, North Carolina
Even in death, Dolly unites us
Dolly meant America. She makes me proud that I came out of an Appalachian hollow. Those whose politics I think are disgusting and those who think mine are, too, are united in honoring someone who put love first. No one can replace her.
— Kenneth Bowling, California
There’ll sure be a honky tonk in heaven
There are no words to describe how devastating this is. Dolly was truly, truly one of a kind. This world will never be the same. Rest in heavenly peace, the one and only Miss Dolly Parton. You are going to be missed by so, so many people. God truly has his honky tonk angels now.
— Robert Young, Ohio
‘What Would Dolly Do?’
Dolly had been an idol of mine for as long as I can remember. But “idol” suddenly felt insufficient. She was more like the great aunt I never met but somehow always had. The one reminding me to push a little harder, love a little deeper, laugh at myself, never let anyone mistake kindness for stupidity, and never, ever be ashamed of where I come from.
My house is full of her. Art, little trinkets, her face smiling down from walls and shelves. Her voice pours out of our speakers regularly enough that nobody who knows me could possibly be surprised by my grief.
She was quick with self-effacing wit because nobody was ever going to make Dolly Parton the butt of a joke she hadn’t already made better herself. She built enormous wealth and then spent enormous amounts of it helping other people. She put books into children’s hands. She stood up for queer people before plenty of people with far less to lose were willing to. She invested in the place she came from instead of treating Appalachia as somewhere she’d escaped. She helped fund vaccine research that saved lives.
She wrote, “I Will Always Love You.” She also wrote “Dumb Blonde.” Range, baby.
And maybe most important to me, she never seemed interested in becoming smaller in order to be taken seriously.
There is a sticker above my desk that says, simply, “What Would Dolly Do?”
I’ve looked at it during difficult meetings. I’ve looked at it after hearing something sexist. I’ve looked at it when I’ve been frustrated and wanted very badly to say the first thing that came into my head. What would Dolly do? Probably smile. And then put you in your place so sweetly you’d need 10 minutes to realize it had happened. That was part of the blueprint she gave me.
Dolly didn’t treat Appalachia like a punchline or a shameful origin story. She loved this place loudly. She showed the rest of the world its humor, its beauty, its poverty, its contradictions, its music, its people. She became one of the most famous women alive and never needed to pretend she came from somewhere else.
For an Appalachian kid trying to figure out what parts of herself the world would accept, that mattered.
I will always love you, Dolly. Queen of Appalachia. Lover of butterflies. Songwriter, philanthropist, advocate, icon, absolute force. I hope somewhere, somehow, you’re flying among those butterflies now.
— Michelle Grasty, Asheville, North Carolina
‘Find out who you are and do it on purpose’
Dolly gave us all permission to be unapologetically exactly who we want to be, and yet in her most treasured Appalachian way, somehow politely reminded us to do it with kindness and grace.
— Julie Johnson, Kentucky
Dolly stayed out of politics, but all-in on giving
Dolly was the little engine that could. She grew up in poverty the likes most of us will never know, yet she felt loved, and that love is what led her to never look back. I loved that she stayed out of politics. She talked and walked with others always in mind. I heard a commentator say today that if all the stars, no matter their trade, gave like Dolly did, we would not want for much in this country.
I think to honor her, we should all try to give more, be it time, energy, or money. If you’re so lucky to be able to give, give back to something in your town that is helping improve people’s lives, one person at a time or more.
— Patricia Bassi, Arizona