The one and only Dolly Parton: A tribute

Tributes poured in after the death of Dolly Parton, who died Tuesday at age 80. The piece highlights her broad cultural reach, recalling comments from figures including Jane Fonda and Taylor Swift. It notes that a poll taken five months before her death found 70% of Americans had a favorable view of Parton, the highest approval rating among the celebrities on the list. The article also describes her prolific songwriting—claiming she composed around 3,000 songs over nearly 70 years—and her background in Tennessee, including starting to sing at age six at church. It adds that Parton said she could not read sheet music, but wrote from feeling and experience, from songs about heartache to faith and fear.