# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/61 "2026-08-25T19:58:29Z")
I think I have just had one of those “I remember where I was when I heard the news” moments. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/62 "2026-08-25T20:02:06Z")
If you haven’t seen this, what are you waiting for? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/o2XcBL6kWn8/hqdefault.jpg "Harris, Parton, Ronstadt on Late Show, March 24, 1999 (full, stereo)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2XcBL6kWn8) ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/63 "2026-08-25T20:05:07Z")
> [@colinfred](#): > > Who is the most universally liked living person now? Weird Al ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/64 "2026-08-25T20:06:42Z")
I remember her from her Porter Wagoner days. The big hair (on both of them) and her huge presence were countered by her self deprecation and honest demeanor. I never cared for her songs much except when she was singing that gorgeous harmony with Emmy Lou Harris and Linda Ronstadt. But she did so much for so many people that I admired her. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/65 "2026-08-25T20:08:47Z")
I havent checked out her book Aint Nobodys Fool yet. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/66 "2026-08-25T20:15:33Z")
> [@colinfred](#): > > Who is the most universally liked living person now? David Attenborough. “Weird” Al. Alan Alda. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/67 "2026-08-25T20:16:11Z")
This is one of my favorites [Do I Ever Cross Your Mind (live)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hqfol4_GQik&list=RDHqfol4_GQik&start_radio=1) (I couldn’t figure out how to embed - kept getting an error) ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/68 "2026-08-25T20:27:13Z")
RIP Dolly, you were one of the good ones. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/69 "2026-08-25T20:33:29Z")
To those saying “Not my kind of music” Did you know that Whitney Houston and Tina Turner both had hits with songs written by Dolly Parton? The greatest loss in my mind though, is her ability to bring left and right together. Everybody pretty much agreed about Dolly. And she had a way of getting people to think about the children; our country needs that so deeply right now. ---
**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, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/70 "2026-08-25T20:34:47Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Alan Alda. You lost me there. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/71 "2026-08-25T20:38:28Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > > [@colinfred](#): > > > > Who is the most universally liked living person now? > > Weird Al lol. I don’t understand? Who? Why? lol. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/72 "2026-08-25T20:40:18Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > The greatest loss in my mind though, is her ability to bring left and right together. I wonder how true this still is. In more recent years, she was a vocal advocate for Black Lives Matter and transgender rights. She funded and promoted COVID vaccines. Does the typical MAGA person love her despite these? Do they even know? The Fox News obituary mentions her literacy work but says nothing about her more progressive causes. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/73 "2026-08-25T20:40:19Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > David Attenborough. “Weird” Al. Alan Alda. What is this, a traffic signal? Green, yellow, red? ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/74 "2026-08-25T20:49:19Z")
> **["Weird Al" Yankovic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%22Weird_Al%22_Yankovic)** > > Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic (/ˈjæŋkəvɪk/ ⓘ; born October 23, 1959) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor. He is best known for writing and performing comedy songs that often parody specific songs by contemporary musicians. He also performs original songs that are style pastiches of the work of other acts, as well as polka medleys of popular songs, most of which feature his trademark accordion. Since having one of his comedy songs aired on The Dr. Demento Radio Show in 1... ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/75 "2026-08-25T20:50:37Z")
Count me among those who say that her music – while she apparently was amazing at what she did – wasn’t to _my_ tastes, particularly. But her humanity sure as hell was. I don’t know if such things exist, but she must have had – or had pretty close to – a 100% approval rating across … well … people. She was a phenomenal curator of her own brand and her own image, but you can’t really fake it _that_ much or _that_ well. The fundamental building blocks of Dolly … had to be tilted heavily toward The Good. And her late-life philanthropy? Amazing. Be with Carl, now, Dolly. RIP. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/76 "2026-08-25T20:52:30Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > I don’t know if such things exist, but she must have had – or had pretty close to – a 100% approval rating across … well … people. She finished in the top three in last year’s Greatest Living contest, so yeah. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/77 "2026-08-25T20:52:47Z")
RIP, Dolly. My list of true national treasures is a very short one, but you stood tallest among them. America is a little poorer today. ---
**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, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/78 "2026-08-25T20:54:07Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > I didn’t expect to cry when I heard the news. I have never cried over a celebrity death. But I couldn’t hold back shedding a tear when I heard this news. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/79 "2026-08-25T20:55:39Z")
Whether or not you dig Weird Al’s shtick, one thing you can say about him is that there are exactly zero skeletons in his closet. He’s been big for going on 50 years now, and there are no drug issues, no public bad behavior, no arrests, no messy relationships, no allegations of impropriety - nothing. By all accounts he is a kind and generous, vegetarian Christian(\*) who actually lives his faith and doesn’t use it as a weapon. \*No, of course I’m not saying that being a Christian makes someone a better person. But Al certainly seems to live according to core Christian principles – viz, kindess, humility, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2026, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545/80 "2026-08-25T20:59:12Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > She was unapologetically herself. The world tried to make her a caricature and she said “Yes I KNOW! Ain’t it fun?!” She once lost a Dolly Parton Look-Alike contest to a drag queen, and took pictures together afterwards! Those are not the actions of someone who takes themselves too seriously! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80/1032545.md?page=5)