Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Americans of all stripes united to grieve the death of country music legend Dolly Parton, offering a rare moment of agreement as presidents of both parties joined entertainment and business giants in paying her tribute. The singer, who was 80, was long heralded as one of the few celebrities that everybody loved. President Donald Trump announced the lowering of flags across the United States for a week, calling Parton’s death a “true loss for millions of people.”
“Very sad to report that Dolly Parton, one of the greatest Country singers, and far beyond, EVER, has just passed away,” Trump posted on his Truth Social network. “There has never been anyone like her, and never will.” Former president Joe Biden called Parton “an American original” who “treated everyone with kindness and respect,” while fellow Democrat Barack Obama said it was “hard to imagine many people having a bigger impact.” Republican George W. Bush praised “her work to promote literacy, advance health, and strengthen communities.” New York’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, praised Parton as “an irreplaceable champion of the working class.”
“We are a better country because of her,” he said.
– ‘Devastating day’ –
Singer Miley Cyrus took to X to mourn the passing of Parton, who was her godmother. “So many evil people in this world and we had to lose a pure heart like Dolly Parton,” Cyrus said. “Devastating day for humanity.” Pop star Taylor Swift, who got her start in country music, said a world without Parton “doesn’t feel possible, real, or right.” “Her legacy will be an everlasting one,” Swift said in a statement shared with Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.
Beyonce, who collaborated with Parton for her Grammy-winning album “Cowboy Carter,” also paid tribute to the star. “Bold and brilliant. Talented and tenacious. You taught so many lessons on how to be uniquely oneself,” Beyonce said on her website. Rocker Jack White, who covered one of Parton’s most famous hits “Jolene,” called for her “instant sainthood” on Instagram. Rapper Kid Rock, who worked with Parton, called her “quite simply” the greatest of all time. “Thanks for the songs, the laughs, the humility and grace. Without a doubt a woman who God truly has his hands on.”
– ‘Magical and joyous’ –
Across the world of entertainment, there was a palpable sense of loss, but also one of gratefulness for a person whose life was filled with joy and compassion. Country music star Carrie Underwood said Parton “was probably the one person on planet Earth that everyone loved and could agree on.” Pop star Sabrina Carpenter, who collaborated with Parton in 2024, recalled meeting Parton for the first time, describing her as “an angel walking the earth.”
“Your light will be something the world will search forever to find again,” Carpenter said on Instagram. Actress Jane Fonda, who performed opposite Parton in “9 to 5,” mourned Parton’s loss. “Dolly will always be with us because she was so present, so powerful, so generous and playful that she is woven into all our lives and hearts forever,” Fonda said on Instagram. Parton’s “Steel Magnolias” co-star Julia Roberts called her “a magical and joyous human.” Country music star Jason Aldean said he was grateful to have been in Parton’s company a few times over the years. “She was truly a bright light that shined just a little brighter than anyone else in the room,” he wrote on X.
– Apple, Amazon and a Beatle –
Beatle Paul McCartney posted on Instagram about meeting Parton early in her career, adding “she was so bubbly and full of life it is difficult to take in the news that she has passed.” Rapper Eminem shared a letter she had written him after he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “She definitely didn’t have to take the time to do it. Even for a kid who mostly listened to rap music, she was an icon. A superstar in every sense,” he wrote on X.
Business titans also paid tribute to the Grammy winner. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said he and wife Lauren Sanchez Bezos were “so grateful to have known her.” Apple’s Tim Cook called Parton a “brilliant songwriter, cultural icon and dedicated philanthropist” whose music “helped light up the world.”
© 2024 AFP
