Farewell to Dolly Parton, country music icon, who has died aged 80 in Nashville

Alla Casa Bianca

Foto composita della cantante Dolly Parton, insignita del Kennedy Center Honors, da sinistra 1: mentre posa per i fotografi al suo arrivo alla Casa Bianca in occasione dei Kennedy Center Honors a Washington, il 3 dicembre 2006; 2) alla cerimonia dei 61° Grammy Awards - Arrivi - Los Angeles, California, Stati Uniti; 10 febbraio 2019; 3) quando si rivolge al pubblico mentre conduce la 35ª edizione degli Academy of Country Music Awards il 3 maggio 2000 all’Universal Amphitheatre di Universal City; 4) quando riceve il Tex Ritter Award durante la 51ª edizione degli Academy of Country Music Awards a Las Vegas, Nevada, il 3 aprile 2016. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/Lucy Nicholson/Fred Prouser/Mario Anzuoni/Foto d’archivio

With her flamboyant outfits and crystal-clear voice, she has topped the charts worldwide, sold over 100 million records and written more than 3,000 songs, many of which have become milestones in American music.

With 25 number-one singles and 49 number-one albums on the country charts, Dolly Parton defined an era.

Her voice, a clear and instantly recognisable soprano, spoke of love, poverty, family, faith and resilience, without filters or rhetoric. She knew how to win the affection of everyone: rich and poor, Democrats and Republicans, young and old, in a divided America.

Among her most famous songs are some true classics of American music, such as “I Will Always Love You”, a poignant ballad from 1974, which enjoyed worldwide success again in 1992 thanks to Whitney Houston’s powerful cover version, Whitney Houston, and went on to become one of the best-selling singles of all time.

Other iconic tracks include “Jolene” (1973), with its irresistible blend of heartache and feminine yearning, “9 to 5” (1980), an ironic and combative anthem to women’s work taken from the film “9 to 5… ”, “Here You Come Again” (1977), which marked her entry into pop music, and “Coat of Many Colours” (1971), an autobiographical and moving account of her childhood that perfectly embodies the ethos of dignity in poverty.

“It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of Dolly Parton, one of the greatest country singers – and not just country – of all time.” So said Donald Trump on Truth after the country legend’s family had announced her death. “It is a huge loss for millions of people. There has never been, nor will there ever be, another like her. In her honour, I order that the American flag be flown at half-mast throughout the United States for one week, starting tonight at 6.00 pm. Rest in peace, Dolly! The world loves you,” added the tycoon.

Dolly Rebecca Parton was born on 19 January 1946 in Pittman Centre, in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains in the state of Tennessee, the fourth of twelve siblings in a poor but close-knit family, with strong ties to the Pentecostal faith and religious music.

Her grandfather was a preacher; her mother, Avie Lee, taught her traditional songs and her father, Robert Lee, worked hard to put food on the table for the whole family.

Even as a child, Dolly sang in local churches, took part in radio programmes and, at the age of 13, performed at the Grand Ole Opry, where she met Johnny Cash. It was he who told her: “Never stop. Your voice can take you far.” And that’s exactly what she did. As soon as she finished school, in 1964, she moved to Nashville, the capital of country music. 

After a shaky start as a pop singer with Monument Records, her voice found its true home in country music.

In 1967, at the age of 21, she released her first album: “Hello, I’m Dolly”, a blend of authenticity and talent that won over critics and audiences alike. That same year, she began a pivotal partnership with Porter Wagoner, a country singer and television presenter, who introduced her on his programme and worked alongside her for seven years. The pair released numerous albums as a duo, but the real turning point came when Dolly decided to pursue a solo career.

Her artistic split from Wagoner is recounted in the moving “I Will Always Love You” (1974). Other tracks that cemented her status as a country icon include: “Jolene”, a heartfelt plea to a woman who might take her lover away – one of the most covered songs in the history of music; ‘Coat of Many Colours’, an autobiographical song that depicts poverty with dignity and poetry; ‘Love Is Like a Butterfly’, ‘The Bargain Store’ and ‘Joshua’ – hits that topped the country charts and brought Dolly into the homes of millions of Americans.

Meanwhile, she is developing her public persona: very blonde hair, flamboyant outfits, painted nails and self-deprecating humour in spades. But beneath the surface, there is a sharp mind, a sharp pen and a huge heart.

In 1980, she made her film debut in *9 to 5* (released in Italia as *Dalle 9 alle 5… orario continuato*), alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.

The film was a hit, but the song was an even bigger success: ‘9 to 5’, an anthem to women’s work, which is still sung today at rights demonstrations. During the same period, Dolly made a seamless transition to pop with songs such as “Here You Come Again”, “Baby I’m Burning”, “Two Doors Down”, “Heartbreaker” and “You’re the Only One”.

In 1982, he starred in *The Most Beautiful Casino in Texas* alongside Burt Reynolds.

In 1984, she starred in *Nick the Wild One* and then in *Steel Magnolias* (1989), cementing her fame in Hollywood as well. In 1986, she opened Dollywood, a theme park in Tennessee that combines attractions, music and Appalachian culture.

It currently employs around 3,000 people and is one of the most visited theme parks in the United States.

Alongside this, Dolly has built a veritable entertainment empire: theatres, TV programmes, a record label (Dolly Records), productions for Netflix and a cosmetics range.

In 1995, she founded the Imagination Library, which has now distributed more than 200 million children’s books free of charge worldwide. This initiative was launched to honour her father, who was illiterate but dreamt of being able to read. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Dolly donated one million dollars to research into the Moderna vaccine, making a tangible contribution to scientific development.

Music: Dolly Parton, queen of country music and the voice of the American heartland, has died / Adnkronos (4)

(Adnkronos) - Between the turn of the century and the 2000s, Dolly Parton returned to her roots with acclaimed albums such as: ‘The Grass Is Blue’ (1999), ‘Little Sparrow’ (2001) and ‘Halos & Horns’ (2002).

 He wins new Grammys and also experiments with bluegrass and gospel. He collaborates with young artists and embraces the world of streaming. She sings with For King & Country, Miley Cyrus (her goddaughter) and takes part in Netflix projects, such as “A Christmas in the City with Dolly Parton”, for which she also won an Emmy.

In 2020, she released “A Holly Dolly Christmas”, a Christmas album that was warmly received by the public.

In 2023, he was officially inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.ù

Dolly was married for almost 60 years to Carl Dean, a low-key businessman who shunned the limelight. They met in 1964 outside a laundrette in Nashville. They married in 1966 and have never been apart.

His death on 3 March 2025 at the age of 82 had a profound effect on the artist, who had always described Dean as “the quiet love of my life”. They had no children, but Dolly loved to say: “Perhaps God had other plans. That way, I could be a mother to all the children in the world.”