Remembering Dolly Parton: Look Back at Her Impact on Music
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Following the death of beloved country music icon Dolly Parton, the TODAY family took a trip down memory lane to reflect on the many ways she had touched their lives.
“It goes without saying how much we love Dolly Parton,” Hoda Kotb said on TODAY Aug. 26. “Her music was the soundtrack of so many lives, and that’s just one small part of her incredible legacy.”
Carson Daly highlighted the “rhinestone-studded trail” Parton had blazed for countless entertainers who had followed her, many of whom had shared their personal tributesto Parton.
“It’s crazy, from all walks of life … all genres of music,” Carson said of the music industry’s admiration for Parton. He recalled how she initially turned down her nomination for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame because she didn’t feel her music was worthy. Parton later accepted the nomination — and then she proceeded to put out a rock album in 2023.
“I don’t think she cared about any accolades,” Hoda said. “It was as if the accolades didn’t mean much to her because she often said, ‘If I didn’t get paid or if I wasn’t that good, I would still be singing.’”
Kristen Welker also shared about Parton’s legacy, including what her fans meant to her.
“She was just so humble,” Kristen said, reflecting on Parton’s response when asked if she felt bothered when people recognized her. “She said, ‘Are you kidding? That’s why I’m here.’ She loved just being with the people and spreading that love.”
Craig Melvin highlighted Parton’s family background, being one of 12 children, as a possible
Carson then chimed in, further commemorating Parton’s reach.
“Country music was regional, it was walled off of mainstream,” he said. “She comes in and owns her masters, she owns her likeness, she owns her rights. She’s a business savant. … And by the way, her greatest legacy might be what she’s done for literacy.”
Parton founded the Imagination Library, a book gifting program that grants young children around the country access to free books. Carson continued to list Parton’s contributions to society beyond entertaining, including her donations to fund a COVID vaccine and helping those impacted by natural disasters.
“She didn’t want the accolades,” Carson said. “She wanted to help.”
Later on TODAY, “9 to 5” played on the Plaza, with Craig shouting out Parton as a “national treasure.”
Hoda, who has interviewed Parton many times, reflected on a moment when Parton made an impact on another member of the TODAY family, Megan Stackhouse, who is head of public relations.
“She walked up to Dolly and said, ‘You raised me.’” Hoda remembered. “And Dolly enveloped her, hugged her, and I remember Megan crying. We all got to sit and chat with her, but those are the moments I think stick out the most for me.”
