The world has paused to mourn the passing of country icon .
A beloved songwriter, business woman, actress, author, and humanitarian, Dolly Parton’s singular appeal saw her transcend country to become a truly global icon. Passing away at the age of 80, her loss sparked an almost unheard of wave of tributes on social media.
Modern country icon Kacey Musgraves said “this one really hurts” before “The world feels a lot less sparkly all of a sudden.”
The light of the Empire State Building were lit up pink in her honour:
New York Mayor called her death “truly heartbreaking”: “Dolly Parton was an extraordinary person and an irreplaceable champion of the working class. We are a better country because of her.”
Testament to her near-universal appeal, Dolly Parton’s death sparked notes of salute from both and the .
added his voice, : “It’s hard to imagine many people having a bigger impact than Dolly Parton. Born in a one-room cabin, she earned 11 Grammys and an Emmy, built a business empire, helped millions of kids learn to read, and — as if that wasn’t enough — helped accelerate the research that led to the Moderna COVID vaccine. What a life. Michelle and I are thinking of Dolly’s family and her many, many fans.”
Beatles legend leant his voice to the tributes, calling “wonderful woman” Dolly Parton’s passing “so sad”. He wrote: “I am so proud to have known her and admire her unique talents. Thanks Dolly for the beautiful music you gave me and the whole world. We will always love you, god bless and rest in peace. You were the best.”
Rolling Stones singer : “What a wonderful songwriter and singer Dolly was. She brought so many people together, we will all miss her so much.”
Movie star Russell Crowe saluted the passing of the country queen:
In a touching tribute, Taylor Swift wrote of Dolly’s impact on her life:
“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.”