Dolly departed - 7th September 2026

Millions have paid tribute to Dolly Parton, the American singer-songwriter dubbed 'the Queen of Country Music', following her death at the age of 80.

Parton rose from humble beginnings, the fourth of 12 children in a rural Tennessee family. Her first song, at the tender age of 6, was about a corn doll and from 10, Parton held down a regular gig, singing on a TV show.

6 years later, she was already a professional songwriter, penning songs for other artists. However, her debut album, 'Hello, I'm Dolly', saw Parton embark on a singing career spanning seven decades. She later turned her hand to acting and producing, first appearing in the comedy blockbuster '9 to 5'.

An astute businesswoman from the outset, Parton held onto the publishing rights for the lion's share of her songs. After launching her own recording label, she also retained control of master recordings.

Business acumen and self-made wealth offered Parton a means to widen opportunities for herself and others. She founded a film and TV production company, opened her eponymous theme park, Dollywood, and recently released her signature cosmetics range.

Parton supported charitable causes including wildfire relief, Covid vaccine development and another enduring legacy, childhood literacy. Witnessing how never learning to read had prevented her father from fulfilling his dreams, Parton founded a global literacy programme.

Her Imagination Library, which provides children around the world with books every month, is an outstanding achievement according to Aynsley Broom.

Aynsley Broom: "She really, you know, championed a lot of people to read and was incredible in like, allow - making sure that every child had a book to read. And that's something that I think is very important. As someone who really loves our local libraries, she was supportive of that and her Imagination Library is something that is truly incredible."