Dolly Parton leaves behind legendary music, philanthropic legacy
Greene County Public Library Executive Director Karl Colon reflects on Dolly Parton’s childhood literacy legacy and the global impact of her Imagination Library, which has distributed more than 300 million books.
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Dolly Parton has been laid to rest, days after the country music icon died peacefully in Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday.
On Saturday, Parton’s niece, Lainey Mae Parton, shared a heartfelt tribute to the late country music icon on Instagram, reflecting on the private moments and unwavering support she received from her “Granny.”
“This is a really hard post for me to make,” Lainey Mae wrote. “I wanted to wait until after my granny was laid to rest yesterday before I tried to put any of this into words.”
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Dolly Parton was laid to rest on Friday, her niece confirmed.(Katherine Bomboy/NBC
“From the time I was little, my granny always had a way of making me feel like I was enough,” she continued. “She never made my dreams feel too big or made me feel like I couldn’t do something. She believed in me before I even knew how to believe in myself.”
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Lainey Mae said she could not think of a single bad memory with Parton and praised the singer for making her family feel deeply loved.
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“Because she couldn’t have kids of her own, she always made us feel like we were hers,” she wrote. “She loved us that way, and I’ll forever be grateful for that.”
One memory that stood out, Lainey Mae said, was being asked to sing with Parton on her “Smoky Mountain DNA” album while she was a freshman in high school.
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“I was SO nervous,” she recalled. “But she had a way of making me feel like nothing bad could happen. She made me feel safe, confident, and like I belonged right there beside her.”
Country singer Dolly Parton died on Tuesday, Aug. 25.(Michael Ochs Archives/
Lainey Mae also remembered Parton’s support when she decided to attend beauty school instead of college.
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“She financially supported me through school and helped me get my career started,” she wrote. “She didn’t just tell me to chase my dreams, she helped me get there.”
The singer’s niece said she was grateful for the opportunities and memories they shared, including appearing in a movie with Parton.
“I have things I can watch, hear, and hold onto when I miss her,” she wrote. “It still doesn’t feel real that she’s gone. I’m going to miss her voice, her laugh, her hugs, and just knowing she was there. I’m even going to miss those 4 AM calls, and I’d give anything to see her name pop up on my phone again.”
“I feel incredibly lucky that I got to call her my granny,” Lainey Mae concluded. “Thank you for always believing in me, loving me, and making me feel like I could do anything. I love you, Granny. Always.”
Parton’s impressive career spanned seven decades.(ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content
Parton died peacefully in Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday following a brief battle with cancer, according to a press release. She was surrounded by loved ones at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.
“Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched,” her team said in a statement.
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“Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand,” the statement continued. “Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact.”
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Parton’s decades-long career produced enduring hits including “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors,” “Here You Come Again,” “9 to 5,” and “I Will Always Love You.” The latter found global success when Whitney Houston recorded it for the 1992 film, “The Bodyguard.”
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Parton made her feature film debut opposite Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in 1980’s “9 to 5.” Parton later appeared in films including, “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” “Rhinestone,” “Steel Magnolias,” and “Joyful Noise.”
Parton was also known for her decades-long marriage to Carl Dean, who largely stayed out of the public eye during their nearly 60 years together. Dean died in March 2025.
Beyond music, Parton built a business empire in her home state of Tennessee, with Dollywood becoming one of the state’s most popular attractions. Her charitable work through the Dollywood Foundation and Imagination Library also left a lasting impact.
Inspired by Parton’s father, who never learned to read or write, the Imagination Library sends free books to children from birth until kindergarten and has grown into an international literacy initiative that has distributed millions of books to families around the world.
Parton wanted to be buried in a bed of soft cotton after spending a lifetime draped in rhinestones, according to a tribute from her nephew posted to Instagram on the day of her death.
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“Dolly was a farmer, just like her daddy; he farmed the soil, she farmed songs and happiness,” he said in the video announcing Parton’s passing. “Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because, after a life of wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest.”
