Dolly Parton died Tuesday at age 80. According to a statement released by her team, she died following "a brief battle with cancer" at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville.
The news broke during Jelly Roll's second night hosting ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live, and the rapper and country singer used his opening monologue to pay tribute. According to Billboard, he stared into the camera and addressed the loss directly.
"We lost a legend today, the great Dolly Parton," he said. "She was such an inspiration to so many, myself included. We're both from Tennessee and she meant a lot to my family, y'all."
Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, spoke about Parton's influence on his childhood and his career. "We used to sit around the kitchen table and listen to her music together as a family. I'll never forget it," he said. "I learned so much from Dolly over the years, about songwriting, how to handle this crazy business, and how to support your community."
He closed the tribute with a line that drew on Parton's rare ability to reach across divides. "She was infinitely talented. She was relentlessly funny and adored by all. She might be the last American that everyone liked," he said. "We will miss her dearly. Rest in peace, Dolly. We will always love you."
Parton's career stretched more than six decades. She was a member of both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She wrote more than 3,000 songs and placed 113 tunes on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, beginning in 1967. Those hits cumulatively spent more than 28 years on the chart.
She was also known for her entrepreneurial ventures and deep ties to her home state of Tennessee, including her long-running support of literacy programs and her Dollywood theme park. Her reach extended far beyond music into film, philanthropy, and popular culture.
Parton was 80 years old.
