A wealth of tributes have been paid to Dolly Parton, who has died at the age of 80.
The singer, songwriter and businesswoman’s death on Tuesday (August 25) was announced in a video posted to her social media accounts by her nephew, Bryan Seaver, who worked as her head of security for more than two decades.
Her publicist, Marcel Pariseau, said in a later statement that Parton died at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, surrounded by loved ones, “after bravely facing a brief battle with cancer.”
A statement issued on behalf of her team read: “A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family.
“Dolly Parton‘s legacy is one of love, compassion, and resilience. With a seven-decade career, she inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place.
“Her songs will continue to resonate with people of all ages, and her philanthropic work will have a lasting impact.”
“A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family.”
Dolly Parton’s team
Parton wrote over 3,000 songs, according to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which inducted her in 2022.
She scored 25 No.1 hits on Billboard‘s country chart, plus more than 50 Top 10 country songs and 44 Top 10 country albums.
In 2014, the RIAA recognized Parton for global sales of over 100 million units.
She won 10 Grammy Awards from 55 nominations, and received the Recording Academy‘s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.
Sony Music Group said in a statement on Tuesday: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of singer-songwriter, music legend, actress, author, businesswoman and philanthropist Dolly Parton. Every superlative you could apply to her would be accurate.
“Dolly was a monumental talent and trailblazer whose extraordinary artistry touched millions around the globe. For nearly three decades, we were lucky she called our record labels and publishing company home. She made songs that became part of our shared vocabulary and crossed genres and generations.
“Her generosity was as extraordinary as her talent. She created opportunities for others that she herself never had. Dolly showed that an artist’s legacy is measured not only in songs, but in lives changed.
“We send our deepest condolences to her family, friends and fans around the world.
“We will always love you.”
“For nearly three decades, we were lucky she called our record labels and publishing company home. She made songs that became part of our shared vocabulary and crossed genres and generations.”
Sony Music Group
Other industry tributes have come from the likes of Sarah Trahern, CEO of the Country Music Association, who said: “At the end of the day, few artists define Country Music better than the one-word, Dolly.
“Over her decades-long career, I worked with her on a number of programs. She was always the most professional in every setting, often walking off the bus in heels and hair and makeup ready to go, before expected and before the cast and crew.
“However, along with the music, our biggest loss today is her work as a philanthropist and the genuine difference she has made in people’s lives throughout the world. There will only ever be one Dolly.”
Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, said: “Dolly Parton‘s legacy is not celebrity, but humanity. She was a champion of equality and literacy.”
“She came from poverty to become the most important native of Tennessee. She shared her fortunes for the good of all of us, and shared her soul in every note she sang,” added Young.
Fellow artists have paid tribute to Parton in press statements and on social media.
Taylor Swift said: “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.”
Beyoncé wrote: “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.”
Paul McCartney said: “She was so bubbly and full of life, it is difficult to take in the news that she has passed,” he said. “Her songwriting, her singing and her philanthropy were unrivaled in the world of country music and it is hard to imagine living in a world without Dolly.”
Tributes have also come from the likes Katy Perry, Dionne Warwick, Luke Combs, Reba McEntire, and Kacey Musgraves.
Six days before her death, figures released on August 19 showed that Parton‘s catalog had earned 82 new sales certifications across 14 countries since her last certification round in January 2022.
They included Diamond certifications for Jolene in Canada and the Netherlands, and for 9 to 5 in Canada.
The figures landed on the night of the 19th annual ACM Honors in Nashville, where the Academy of Country Music gave Parton its Poet’s Award for what it called her “extraordinary, decades-long impact as one of Country Music’s most gifted and influential songwriters.”
Parton did not attend, accepting through a video message.
“I’ve been able to do many things throughout my life, but at my core, songwriting has always been the most important part of who I am creatively,” said Parton.
“Every dream I ever had and all the dreams that I’ve been able to see come true in life, well they all started with a song,” Parton added.
Parton’s Imagination Library, launched in 1995, has gifted close to 308 million free books to children in the US, UK, Ireland, Canada and Australia, according to the program’s website.
In place of flowers, Parton‘s family has asked for donations to be made to the program.Music Business Worldwide
