Tributes from entertainers, colleagues and admirers poured in Tuesday following the announcement that country music legend Dolly Parton had died at the age of 80.
President Donald Trump was among those marking Parton’s death, paying tribute to the singer in a Truth Social post and announcing that American flags would be lowered in her honor.
“Very sad to report that Dolly Parton, one of the greatest Country singers, and far beyond, EVER, has just passed away,” Trump wrote. “This is a true loss for millions of people. There has never been anyone like her, and never will.”
Trump said the American flag would be lowered throughout the United States for one week beginning Tuesday evening.
“Rest in Peace, Dolly! The World loves you,” he added.
Parton’s death also prompted an emotional response from Lily Tomlin, who starred alongside her in the 1980 workplace comedy 9 to 5. Tomlin posted a photograph of the two together on Instagram and needed only a few words to make her feelings clear.
“I Will Always Love You. No words,” Tomlin wrote, referencing one of Parton’s most famous songs.
Actress Jamie Lee Curtis remembered Parton not only as a performer but as a personal “hero.” Curtis focused on Parton’s willingness to take control of her career and move in a new direction when she believed the time had come.
“They say don’t meet your heroes,” Curtis wrote. She pointed specifically to Parton writing “I Will Always Love You” as she separated professionally from Porter Wagoner, describing the song as a way of expressing gratitude and affection while still moving forward.
“She is a great example for us all,” Curtis wrote.
Actor Pedro Pascal, known for his work in major franchises including Star Wars and Marvel, offered a far more compact assessment, describing Parton as “one of one.”
Some of the most personal reactions naturally came from within country music.
Reba McEntire thanked Parton for her work and looked back on the first time the two met. Keith Urban said he was “heartbroken” in an Instagram Story following the news.
Well, I just got the news that my buddy Dolly passed onto the higher and greater side.
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… pic.twitter.com/qpbvKUNbiM— Reba McEntire (@reba) August 25, 2026
Kacey Musgraves captured the change in mood with a reference to Parton’s famously glittering public image.
“The world feels a lot less sparkly all of a sudden,” Musgraves wrote.
The world feels a lot less sparkly all of a sudden.
— K A C E Y (@KaceyMusgraves) August 25, 2026
Trace Adkins, meanwhile, reflected on something unusual about Parton’s decades in public life: her ability to remain widely admired despite spending so much of her career in an industry where reputations and tastes can change dramatically. Adkins described her as one of the rare public figures to be almost universally loved.
It is indeed rare for the world, collectively, to express sorrow for someone’s passing. I knew her to be the angel that they think she was, and I’ll miss her. Dolly, I’ll always love you. -Trace@DollyParton pic.twitter.com/CtzwcbD6sA
— Trace Adkins (@TraceAdkins) August 25, 2026
The reactions came from different generations and different corners of entertainment, but many returned to the same qualities that defined Parton’s public career: her songwriting, unmistakable personality, humor and the relationships she built across decades in music and film.
For Tomlin, however, the farewell was distilled into the title of the song Parton wrote more than half a century ago.
“I Will Always Love You.”
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. Her kindness, generosity, and authenticity were evident from moment… pic.twitter.com/xVf2ZokZLO
— Seth MacFarlane (@SethMacFarlane) August 25, 2026
