Dolly Parton died at the age of 80, and tributes from across the entertainment world followed almost immediately. The country music legend had been dealing with ongoing health issues in the months before her death, leading her to cancel appearances in May and postpone a Las Vegas residency scheduled for September, according to Deadline.
The outpouring stretched across generations and genres. Eminem posted a tribute on social media and included a letter Parton had written him several years earlier, after his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. In the letter, Parton praised his performance that night and encouraged him to keep creating.
"Even though I don't know a lot about rap music, I've come to know that you are the very best at it," Parton wrote. "Aside from that I hope what I have to say will not seem weird or strange to you but I have always felt some unexplained connection to you like I know you somehow. I had hoped to meet you at the show but you know how nuts those things are, personally I hate 'em and I missed my chance but maybe someday we'll meet."
She closed the letter with a direct message: "In the meantime, keep doing what you're doing because you do it so well and no matter how complex your world may be just know you are very special and touch people in ways you don't even know."
Eminem wrote in his caption alongside the letter: "I'm sorry we never got a chance to meet, but getting this note from Dolly really had a an impact on me. 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. Rest easy Dolly. And thank you for the kind words."
Beyoncé, who covered Parton's "Jolene" on her Cowboy Carter album and featured Parton on the track "Tyrant," posted a statement to her website. "You were the barometer. The North Star. Bold and brilliant. Talented and tenacious," Beyoncé wrote. "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. I'm honored that I had the privilege to work with you. I will treasure that forever."
Sabrina Carpenter, who collaborated with Parton on a deluxe version of her hit song "Please Please Please," posted to Instagram. "The only thing I could say after we met was 'she really is an angel walking the earth' and 'we look like we could be sisters!'" Carpenter wrote. "I will cherish our laughter and conversations and I will keep your wisdom, your playful outlook on life and perfect sense of humor in my pocket for the rainy days."
Kelly Clarkson wrote that Parton "had a way of making everyone feel special, and seen, and welcomed, and as if you were old friends." Dionne Warwick posted simply: "I will certainly miss her laughter, jokes and her being. Rest well and in total peace my friend." Actor Pedro Pascal called her "one of one," adding "we must make more." Comedian Carol Burnett recalled taping a television special together in Nashville, writing that Parton had cooked individual turkey dinners for the entire crew that Thanksgiving week. "We were a family," Burnett wrote. "That's who she was."
Parton had a career spanning more than 60 years, with hits including "9 to 5," "I Will Always Love You," "Heartbreak Express," and "Jolene." In November 2025, she released Star of the Show: My Life on Stage, the third book in a memoir trilogy. The deluxe edition, available on Amazon for $31.91 according to Billboard, features more than 500 photos and an eight-page list of iconic performances. The first two volumes in the series covered her songwriting and her personal style, respectively.
