Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Kacey Musgraves Mourn Dolly Parton: ‘The World Feels Less Sparkly’
Figures across music, film, and TV honour the life and legacy of Parton, who died Tuesday at the age of 80
By Larisha Paul
Some of music and entertainment’s biggest stars have led tributes to Dolly Parton, who died Tuesday at the age of 80. “The world feels a lot less sparkly all of a sudden,” Kacey Musgraves wrote on X. “Dolly. This really really hurts.” Musgraves found a silver lining while imagining Parton reuniting with her husband, Carl Dean, who died in March 2025 at 82. “So glad she’s with her Carl Dean,” Musgraves added. “No one talk to me today.”
Musgraves is one of many artists who have been inspired by Parton’s career. The country icon’s influence sparked a light in generations of singers and songwriters. But her impact extends beyond music: She also left an impression in the way she carried herself, particularly her willingness to spread love and stand up for anyone who has been othered and pushed aside.
In a tribute shared with Rolling Stone, Taylor Swift honoured the country legend’s legacy — highlighting how Parton’s resilience, kindness, and bravery have taught generations of fans and musicians. “A world without Dolly doesn’t feel possible, real, or right,” Swift wrote in her remembrance. “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 paid tribute to Parton in a statement shared to her website. The two collaborated on Beyoncé’s 2024 groundbreaking album Cowboy Carter, which featured a reimagined version of Parton’s 1973 classic ‘Jolene.’ “Dolly, you were the barometer. The north star,” Beyoncé wrote. “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.”
“Well, I just got the news that my buddy Dolly passed onto the higher and greater side,” Reba McEntire wrote on Instagram, sharing a decades-spanning carousel of images with Parton. “Dolly, thank you 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. We will remember and cherish every memory and every note you ever played and sang.”
McEntire added, “Thank you, Lord, for Dolly. She’s gonna have a blast in heaven singing all her favorite songs with all her family and friends who have gone on before her. I’ll never forget the first time I met you and I’ll never forget our last conversation. I hold it with love in my heart. I will always love you.”
Jack White wrote simply, “Instant Sainthood.”
Mick Fleetwood recounted the exact day he first crossed paths with Parton. “I met Dolly Parton many years ago.. and will always remember how it felt…that instantly I was meeting an old friend,” he shared on Instagram. “Her energy was that personable, her magic through her whole life made folks feel like they belonged. Her positive approach to life and the amazing songs she wrote is her legacy that will live on in a world that so needs healing!! To family and friends of Dolly, my condolences… and the hundreds of millions that will miss her so…. God bless you Dolly Parton.”
Paul McCartney paid tribute to Parton and her “unrivaled” songwriting, singing, and philanthropic efforts in a remembrance to the late country legend. “I am so proud to have known her and admire her unique talents,” wrote the former Beatles member. “Thanks Dolly for the beautiful music you gave me and the whole world. We will always love you, god bless and rest in peace. You were the best.”
Sabrina Carpenter, whose reworked version of her song ‘Please Please Please’ featured the hero who had inspired her so much, also mourned the loss of Parton: “oh dolly. 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!”
“Like the rest of the world, I’m immediately heartbroken. I met Dolly on several occasions and she always made me feel like one of her own. She even agreed to sing with me on one of my records,” said Kristen Chenoweth, who performed a duet of “I Will Always Love You” with Parton on her 2019 album For the Girls. “My ultimate inspiration. The world has lost one of the best but I know we will never forget her because she is impossible to forget. I love you Dolly and I will ALWAYS love you.”
In a tribute shared on Instagram, Sheryl Crow mourned the “hole in the universe” left without Parton. “There was and will never be anyone like Dolly. I did not know her well but I loved her like family… we all did. She was an incredible story teller musically and in real life,” she wrote. “But she was also a loving and compassionate human being, led by goodness in all she did. I will miss knowing she is on the planet but she will never be far away. RIP Dolly, we love you.”
Maren Morris honoured Parton’s one-of-a-kind spirit on Instagram, writing, “There will never be another. @dollyparton was who we could all agree on. she was and is such a light.” The caption accompanied a video of the Highwomen — the group of Morris, Brandi Carlile, Amanda Shires, and Natalie Hemby — backstage with Parton rehearsing her 1991 ballad “Eagle When She Flies” ahead of the Newport Folk Festival in 2019.
Maggie Rogers performed with Parton at Newport Festival that year. On Instagram, the singer-songwriter honoured the moment on Instagram with a stripped-back piano rendition of “Here You Come Again,” released by Parton in 1977. “One of the greatest songwriters of all time. Beautiful radiant butterfly human. I played with her at Newport once and I felt like my chest was on fire I was so wildly awe struck. Thank you thank you a million times dolly.”
“Rest peacefully Dolly, thank you for the joy and the music and the example you set for us all,” singer-songwriter Noah Kahan wrote on X, while Shaboozey added, “I wish I had the honour of meeting you. You were everyone’s favorite artist. Thank you for giving us some of the greatest music we’ll ever know.”
Ella Langley, the country star with the chart-topping song of the summer this year, celebrated Parton as a trailblazer who helped open the doors for other women in the industry. “Dolly, thank you for standing up for yourself as an artist, a songwriter, a musician, a producer, an author, a creative, and most importantly a woman in this industry. You paved the way for so many to be brave,” she wrote. “Thank you for being unafraid to show your most authentic self. The world needed Dolly and will never see another like it. The gates of heaven just welcomed home a beautiful soul.”
Shania Twain, who sang Parton’s 1971 hit ‘Coat of Many Colors’ with the icon, shared a clip of their 2003 performance alongside the caption: “My mentor is gone. My songwriting teacher and hero of grace and humility. There is a hole in my heart but the joy of just the thought of her smile will continue to fill me with inspiration for as long as I live.”
Eminem called the country legend a “superstar in every sense” and also shared a letter she penned him several years ago. In the letter, written after Eminem was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, Parton congratulated the rapper on the honour and encouraged him to continued creating work that inspires others.
Brandi Carlile, who shared the stage with Parton at the 2019 Newport Folk Festival, wrote in a tribute that before they met, Carlile “loved her because she took a risk and accepted me (and all of us) for being gay in a time where she didn’t need to say anything.” The artist added: “She never wavered on accepting anyone for who they were and who they were meant to be.”
“I’m a little bit of a mess right now,” Orville Peck said during his performance at Rough Trade in East London, before offering his take on what made the country superstar so special. “She really stood for kindness and I think that’s something that is really lacking in the world these days… I feel we can always remember what she stood for.”
Katy Perry shared a video and multiple photos of her with Parton, writing, “My heart sank seeing the news of dear Dolly’s passing. She meant so much to so many people for so long.” She added, “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.”
Outside of the music world, Parton left her mark on film and TV with starring roles and special guest appearances. Tributes from Hollywood stars poured in: Actress Octavia Spencer remembered Parton as “a gift to the world,” writing on Instagram, “Your voice, your philanthropic heart, and warmth made us feel seen and that the world was a pretty decent place. We miss you.” On X, Colman Domingo wrote, “Dolly taught us that you can be anything and do anything and to do it with kindness. What a light. We are all grateful that we lived in a time of Dolly Parton. We will always love her.”
Jane Fonda, the legend’s longtime friend and 9 to 5 co-star, wrote that “Dolly will always be with us because she was so present, so powerful, so generous and playful that she is woven into all our lives and hearts forever.” She also celebrated Parton’s work and Imagination Library program, calling them “blessings.” Fonda added: “Let’s be grateful for all that she has left us to ease our sadness now.”
More figures in film and TV remembered her, with Keke Palmer writing, “I’m devastated. Truly.” Alongside an old image taken with Parton, Jamie Lee Curtis shared, “They say don’t meet your heroes. Her bravery to know that she was more than they thought she was and that she needed to break away and move on into new work and new possibilities led her to write I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU, as her way of thanking and loving, but moving on. She is a great example for us all.”
Actor Pedro Pascal also paid tribute to Parton, sharing an image of the artist with the caption, “One of one. We must make more.” Outside of the music world, Parton left her mark on film and TV with starring roles and special guest appearances.
“The news of Dolly Parton’s passing is devastating. I had the extraordinary experience of working with her on The Orville, and it was a joy to discover that she really was exactly the person we all hoped she was,” Seth MacFarlane said on X. “Her kindness, generosity, and authenticity were evident from moment one, and the benign yet assured command she maintained over her empire was obvious from the genuine love and trust you could see from everyone who worked for her. The world is a dimmer place today without her.”
Parton’s history of philanthropy spanned contributions to natural disaster relief efforts, hospitals, and children’s education initiatives that encouraged giving back. “Dolly Parton was one of the great entertainers of our era. She was not only a talented musician & songwriter, but a lifelong philanthropist and advocate for literacy, education, LGBTQ+ rights, healthcare and disaster relief,” Senator Bernie Sanders wrote on X. “Her music and humanity touched millions. She will be sorely missed.”
Presidents across party lines also celebrated Parton on Tuesday following her death, speaking to the country icon’s ability to transcend politics through her work. Former Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and George Bush each paid tribute to Parton, while President Donald Trump ordered that flags be flown at half-staff for the next week to honour “one of the greatest Country singers, and far beyond, EVER.”
In a statement posted on social media, Obama wrote, “It’s hard to imagine many people having a bigger impact than Dolly Parton. Born in a one-room cabin, she earned 11 Grammys and an Emmy, built a business empire, helped millions of kids learn to read, and — as if that wasn’t enough — helped accelerate the research that led to the Moderna COVID vaccine. What a life.”
“Some people are so extraordinary, their existence feels almost impossible,” Khloé Kardashian wrote on Instagram. “Dolly was one of those people. A once-in-a-lifetime soul. A woman whose light, heart, talent and humanity changed this world forever. To have admired her was a gift. To have met her, spent time in her presence, and somehow been lucky enough that Dolly Parton knew my name.”
When Kardashian invited Parton to her Dolly-themed party, complete with a tower of Duncan Hines Dolly Parton cake mix boxes, she received a special video from the singer apologizing for her absence. “I’m sorry about that,” Parton said at the time. “Thanks for inviting me, though. I know you’re gonna have a good time. I would’ve brought you a cake, but you bought all my dang cake mixes.” In her tribute, Kardashian wrote, “I will never have words big enough for what that means to me. What an astronomical human being. What a legacy. What a loss. There will never be another Dolly.”
On X, a “heartbroken” Paris Hilton remembered Parton as “a true icon and such an inspiration to me,” writing, “Her talent, heart and kindness touched so many lives, and she truly left this world better than she found it. Sending all my love to her family, friends and everyone who loved her. Rest in peace, Dolly.”