Dolly Parton dies at 80, sparking global tributes from Swift to the Grand Ole Opry

Dolly Parton died at age 80 after a brief cancer battle, surrounded by loved ones at Nashville’s Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. The news prompted a worldwide outpouring of tributes from peers across music, film and politics—Taylor Swift, Eminem, Jane Fonda and many others—along with formal remembrances from the Grand Ole Opry. Flags were ordered to be lowered for a week, pink lights lit landmarks in her honor, and Dollywood pledged to carry on her legacy. Parton’s influence was celebrated not only for her music but also for her philanthropy, notably the Imagination Library, which gifts books to children.