It is easy to get swept up in pop culture sentiment – I remember having all of the grief a 14 year old could muster when Kurt Cobain died, much to my chagrin – but this one truly hurts. I’m not sure if I have the words or the eloquence to say why, but here is my little tribute to Dolly Parton.

I think I have known who she was since my first memories formed. I danced around the house singing Islands in the Stream until it made my parents crazy. Yet, it wasn’t her stardom, fame, or even necessarily her music that drew me to her. Like many others who are saddened by her loss right now, I feel it was her very essence that made me a fan and has now made me grieve. I wonder if she even knew how much she was adored, or by how many. She was a graceful warrior for all. Her laughter, humility, kindness, and wit were unparalleled. Rising like a Phoenix from the dust of the Great Smoky Mountains, she spent her life reinventing herself and what it means to have wealth. She did more than simply sing about hope and love, she built worlds untarnished by hatred and realities imbued with generosity. Her success was also our success.

She had simple messages that held within them a gravity so strong she was heard, and her death was felt, by so many people outside of the U.S. She believed in helping others, no matter who they were. She believed in true stewardship and care for our planet. She gave millions to victims of natural disasters, to the covid vaccine fund, and millions more to fight illiteracy. Dolly didn’t just play a role for the camera, she epitomized the very heart of philanthropy and altruism. Yet, somehow, I suspect she would argue with everything I’ve said here. Genuine heroes never seem to know they are heroes.

I am not ashamed to admit that I sat there, at the news of her passing, with watery eyes and a catch in my throat – sorrow for a person whom I’ve never met and an emptiness knowing the world lost a beautiful soul. Someone who didn’t tell us how to be kind and brave – she simply showed us. Tragically, not everyone was listening.

May her words, actions, and example resonate throughout our country and last lifetimes. Thank you, Dolly, for the life you lived. Rest in peace.

Here are some of my favourite Dolly songs….