Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Sir Paul McCartney have led an outpouring of tributes from celebrities and fans to Dolly Parton following the music icon’s death at the age of 80.
Cyrus paid an emotional tribute to her godmother, “Aunt Dolly”, describing her as an “angel by my side”. She wrote on Instagram, external: “I will always love her and want to make her proud.”
The Tennessee-born singer died on Tuesday after “a brief battle with cancer”, her team said in a statement.
Parton is known for iconic songs including Jolene, 9 to 5 and I Will Always Love You. She was also a philanthropist, who helped fund one of the first Covid-19 vaccines and poured millions into improving children’s literacy.
Miley Cyrus, also born in Tennessee, added: “Our most sacred moments were private and they’ll stay there behind the stage, beneath the glamour and between our hearts.
“What I know is Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it, and then continue on and be strong.”
Her father and Parton’s close friend Billy Ray Cyrus remembered the music icon as being “part of our lives, on our TVs, right in our living rooms”.
“I have so many moments and memories with Dolly, it’s hard to know where to start,” he said. “Like every little boy, I grew up loving Dolly Parton.”
He recounted a time when he had to apologise to Parton for tabloid rumours which claimed they were having an affair.
“In true Dolly fashion, she just looked at me, winked and said: ‘Honey, this trash sells records!'”
Sir Paul McCartney reflected on his history with Parton, which began when he met her in Nashville at the Grande Ole Opry just before she started her solo musical career.
“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.”
Sir Elton John said he was “shocked and devastated” by the news. “A giant of an artist – unique and irreplaceable, with the kindest heart.”
Beyoncé said Parton was the “barometer” and 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 humour, your entrepreneurship,” she wrote.
Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé’s 2024 country album, famously featured a rendition of Parton’s song Jolene.
Parton’s musical influence spanned generations, and inspired the careers of a fresh wave of female talent.
Sabrina Carpenter, who collaborated with Parton in 2025 on a country-inspired version of Carpenter’s hit Please Please Please, posted: “The only thing I could say after we first met was ‘she really is an angel walking the earth’ and ‘we look like we could be sisters!'”
Along with behind the scenes pictures of the pair filming their music video, Carpenter added: “Your light will be something the world will search forever to find again.”
Katy Perry, who performed with Parton several times, described her as “a pure, sweet (but not saccharine) sassy, cup of joy”.
The singer wrote: “For me, she was an example of a woman who defied the stereotypes for decades. She proved that big boobs, big brains, and a big voice can all exist in one tiny body! But the biggest thing about her by far was her heart.”
The world of country music, meanwhile, mourned one of its biggest icons, with singer Kacey Musgraves – who performed in a 2019 Grammys celebration of the singer – saying: “The world feels a lot less sparkly all of a sudden.”
Reba McEntire thanked Parton for “all the wonderful things you did for us here on earth”.
“Your love, your music and you gave so much with your huge huge heart. There will never ever be another you,” she wrote.
Jane Fonda, who co-starred alongside Parton in the film 9 To 5 in 1980, said she was “devastated”.
Fonda said Parton was “simultaneously a naughty, playful southern gal from the hollows of Tennessee and a deep, soulful thinker who could see through people right down to their true selves”.
Former talk show host Oprah Winfrey wrote: “This girl from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee dreamed a life and then lived a life bigger than she could have ever imagined, giving so generously to others in ways we saw and ways we didn’t.”
Tributes have also been paid by US presidents past and present.
Donald Trump called her death a “true loss for millions of people”, adding: “There has never been anyone like her, and never will.”
He ordered American flags across the US to be lowered in her memory – a rare honour that is mostly reserved for elected leaders and other officials in the US government.
“Rest in Peace, Dolly! The World loves you,” the US president said.
Former US President Bill Clinton called Parton “one of a kind – a great songwriter and performer who told the stories of everyday Americans with honesty, humility, and heart”.
He noted that while her star grew, she “never forgot where she came from” and always gave back through her philanthropic efforts.
And Barack Obama said it was “hard to imagine many people having a bigger impact than Dolly Parton”.
In London, Buckingham Palace guards played a military rendition of 9 to 5 in honour of her.
The Royal Family also wrote: “Remembering the late, great Dolly, who brought joy, comfort and inspiration to so many – including the millions of children given free books through her Imagination Library. We will always [heart] you”.
