# Dolly Parton has died at age 80 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death, music\ **Created:** [August 25, 2026, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545 "2026-08-25T18:00:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/21 "2026-08-25T18:24:39Z")
There will never be another like her. My family is all calling each other with the news right now, as if she’d been one of our relatives. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/22 "2026-08-25T18:25:00Z")
Dolly was genuinely lovable and wanted everyone to love each other like she loved them. Talent, personality, sass and good feelings all wrapped up in one package. She was one-of-a-kind, and a real loss. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/23 "2026-08-25T18:26:22Z")
Absolutely one of the greats, not just her music but the person she was and the literacy legacy she started. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/24 "2026-08-25T18:26:35Z")
I don’t care that she’s not Catholic, if the Pope doesn’t canonize her toot sweet he loses all moral authority. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/25 "2026-08-25T18:26:37Z")
Trio, the album she recorded with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt, is first rate. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/26 "2026-08-25T18:26:50Z")
She brought the gift of book to millions of kids, mine included. I loved that about her. I also loved her version of Mule Skinner Blues. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/B6rgq6sQZqQ/hqdefault.jpg "Dolly Parton\_Video "Mule Skinner Blues"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6rgq6sQZqQ) ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/27 "2026-08-25T18:27:10Z")
She was unapologetically herself. The world tried to make her a caricature and she said “Yes I KNOW! Ain’t it fun?!” What a beautiful person, inside and out. She will be missed but she left a huge heart-shaped mark on the world. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/28 "2026-08-25T18:27:22Z")
There was every reason to figure it would’ve been a joke when The Orville had an alien culture view Dolly Parton as an exemplar — and, yeah, it was played for laughs, but, somehow, it was also played _utterly straight._ ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/29 "2026-08-25T18:30:01Z")
She was a national treasure! ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/30 "2026-08-25T18:32:11Z")
Oh no, not Dolly! A talented lady who used her fame and fortune to promote humanitarian causes for the betterment of society and those less fortunate. A rare combination. If only more people with her wealth and influence were like her. This saddens me greatly. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/31 "2026-08-25T18:34:51Z")
Even if you don’t like country music, it’s impossible to not like Dolly Parton. RIP, Dolly. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/32 "2026-08-25T18:36:15Z")
My first reaction was “She was _only_ 80??” Then sadness… I admired her philanthropy and her talent. She always came across as a genuinely nice person. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/33 "2026-08-25T18:37:52Z")
A few years ago I was wondering what celebrity death would affect me the most and came up with an answer. I’m changing my answer. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/34 "2026-08-25T18:39:26Z")
Here’s just a few seconds of her talent and effervescence. It always puts a smile on my face. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/AOxsQNVOhro/maxresdefault.jpg "Dolly Parton & Patti LaBelle play 'Shortnin' Bread' on their Acrylic Nails") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOxsQNVOhro) ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/35 "2026-08-25T18:40:40Z")
RIP. What an incredible woman she was. Here is a list of her philanthropic deeds up until 2023: > **[A Timeline of Dolly Parton’s Good Deeds](https://www.billboard.com/lists/dolly-parton-good-deeds-timeline/1988-the-dollywood-foundation/)** > > Dolly Parton is not only talented, but she's also charitable. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/36 "2026-08-25T18:41:02Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > There was every reason to figure it would’ve been a joke when The Orville had an alien culture view Dolly Parton as an exemplar — and, yeah, it was played for laughs, but, somehow, it was also played _utterly straight._ [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kTIeJSZDH14/hqdefault.jpg "The Orville: New Horizons - Dolly Parton Performs “Try” From Her Album Blue Smoke on Latest Episode") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTIeJSZDH14) ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/37 "2026-08-25T18:42:43Z")
Rest in peace, beautiful soul. You made the world so much better, in so many ways. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/38 "2026-08-25T18:43:11Z")
That was awesome. I will always love Dolly. She made me actually like some fairly strongly country country music. That takes real talent. Remember she also had an acting career. Was quite a natural. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/39 "2026-08-25T18:46:39Z")
Dolly was someone to admire for so many reasons. The world has lost a rare treasure today. RIP Dolly. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/40 "2026-08-25T18:48:08Z")
I had no idea Dolly was that seriously ill. I thought she’d be performing in Vegas after a few weeks of treatment. Dolly supported a lot of charities. Dollywood was created to provide employment for people in Tennessee. The tourists help support the local economy. She was special and will be missed. RIP [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545.md?page=3)