On Aug. 25, Dolly Parton, the Queen of Country Music, passed away at age 80. Parton was a country and pop singer as well as an actress, and starred in movies such as 9 to 5, Steel Magnolias, Rhinestone, and Straight Talk. And, as a beloved pop culture icon, many costars, celebrity friends, and family of Parton have come on social media to pay tribute to the legend.
The news was shared via an Instagram post uploaded by Parton’s family. In the post shared on Aug. 25, Parton’s nephew, Bryan Seaver (who was also Parton’s head of security), shared the news. In the video, Seaver said that the video message was something Parton had requested from him years ago. “Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents, and countless others who have watched her and longed for her to meet them in the heavens,” Seaver said.
Seaver’s statement continued. “My family and I have shared a lifetime of beautiful memories with Dolly, but so have you,” he said. “She has always been on your television, your record player, your CD and on your phone playlist, becoming an extended part of your family whether you liked it or not. Our family and the team she has entrusted with her legacy will work diligently to ensure her spirit will live with us forever.”
Parton’s nephew ended his statement saying, “Rest in peace, Aunt Dolly — Aunt, Granny, Gigi. May God bless Dolly Parton, and may God bless you all. She will always love you.”
Shortly after the news, many fellow celebrities and friends of the star have taken to social media to honor Parton and her legacy.
Keke Palmer
Palmer starred alongside Parton in the film Joyful Noise. Her post for Parton was sweet and simple. She posted a picture of Parton and them together with the caption, “I’m devastated. Truly.”
Maren Morris
Singer Maren Morris often cited Parton as her idol and songwriting inspiration. She posted a video of her with Parton as Parton sang. The caption reads, “There will never be another. @dollyparton was who we could all agree on. She was and is such a light.”
Reba McEntire
McEntire and Parton have been close friends for over 40 years. The country music icons collaborated on music together and often expressed their respect and admiration for each other. McEntire posted pictures of the two and wrote a warm, wholehearted tribute for her friend on Instagram, ending the caption with “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. I will always love you, Reba.”
The Muppets
Parton was a guest star on The Muppets multiple times. The Muppets account posted photos that featured Parton with Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog and wrote, “There will never be another quite like Dolly Parton. She was the ultimate singer, songwriter, actress, performer, and philanthropist. She filled the world with light and we are so grateful for every second we got to spend with her onstage and off.”
Donatella Versace
Fashion designer Donatella Versace paid her tribute to the late country star in a post that read, “The world has lost one of the kindest and most generous of souls, the greatest of story tellers and a true legend of music. So many lives were made better because of you. Thank you Dolly, for everything.” Versace participated in the viral #DollyPartonChallenge in 2020 and publicly praised Parton for her milestones and accomplishments.
Kristen Chenoweth
Chenoweth was a close friend and musical collaborator of Parton, and often cited her as her music inspiration. Additionally, Parton often said that she wanted Chenoweth to portray her if there ever was a biographical stage or film project about her life. In a post that featured multiple pictures of the two together, Chenoweth wrote, “Like the rest of the world, I’m immediately heartbroken. I met Dolly on several occasions and she always made me feel like one of her own. She even agreed to sing with me on one of my records. 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. I love you Dolly and I will ALWAYS love you.”
Lil Nas X
The singer went viral in 2021 for a cover of Parton’s hit song, Jolene. He caught the attention of Parton, who praised the cover and said that she was “surprised, honored and flattered” by his performance of her song. Lil Nas X’s caption simply reads, “THE ONE AND ONLY! FLY HIGH MISS DOLLY!”
Paul McCartney
The Beatles member, Paul McCartney, took to Instagram to pay his respects to the late singer. The music legends met in Nashville in 1974, and became friends and musical collaborators from there. McCartney posted black-and-white throwback pictures of the two and wrote a long tribute to her that ended with, “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.”
Kacey Musgraves
Parton was a role model and idol for many country singers, including Kacey Musgraves. Musgraves took to X to share several tweets about Parton’s death. In one, she wrote, “Dolly. This really really hurts.” In another, “The world feels a lot less sparkly all of a sudden.”
We will always love you, Dolly!