Flags will fly at half-staff for the next week to honor the death of Dolly Parton, who passed away at age 80. President Donald Trump announced that flags would be lowered at the White House and across the nation on Truth Social Tuesday, calling Parton “one of the greatest Country singers… EVER.”
“This is a true loss for millions of people. There has never been anyone like her, and never will,” Trump posted. “Rest in Peace, Dolly! The World loves you.”
A multi-platinum artist and Tennessee philanthropist, Parton has received her flowers from state officials on both sides of the aisle.
Republican U.S. senator and gubernatorial candidate Marsha Blackburn called Parton an “iconic leader” in the state.
“Tennessee will forever be grateful for Dolly,” Blackburn posted on X. “Her extraordinary talent, generosity, and love for the Volunteer State touched hearts around the world and will continue to inspire generations to come.”
On top of her musical career, Parton was an economic and philanthropic powerhouse. She invested in early education and children’s literacy through her Imagination Library program. She also started several businesses in the state, including a Dolly-themed amusement park in her hometown of Sevierville. Her most recent venture, a Dolly Parton take on the gas station chain Buc-ee’s, opened earlier this summer.
“A true Tennessee trailblazer”
Republican U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger, who represents East Tennessee in Congress, praised Parton’s achievements in music and beyond.
“No matter how big her star got, she never stopped being one of us,” Harshbarger said. “She built Dollywood into a place that put East Tennessee on the map for the whole world to see, and through her Imagination Library, she put books in the hands of children who needed them most.”
The Tennessee Democratic Party similarly praised those initiatives and mourned the loss of Parton.
“Tennessee is better because of Dolly Parton,” said TDP Chairwoman Rachel Campbell. “A true Tennessee trailblazer, she carried the spirit of the Smoky Mountains with her wherever she went, leading with ambition, generosity, kindness, and an unwavering love for the people and places that shaped her.”
LGBTQ rights advocates from the Tennessee Equality Project to the national Human Rights Campaign also claim Parton, who spoke out against North Carolina’s 2016 law, barring trans kids from using the bathroom that aligns with their gender.
“I think everybody should be treated with respect,” Parton said at the time. “I hope that everybody gets a chance to be who and what they are.”
The Tennessee Equality Project also praised Parton for “leading with love.”
“There are thousands of stories of individual people in our community whose lives have been touched by her light,” the TEP said in a statement. “We always felt that she had our back.”
Parton didn’t often speak about political issues but found herself as a figure for both Republicans and Democrats.
After Tennessee lawmakers considered legislation to rename Nashville’s airport after Donald Trump, nearly 55,000 people signed a petition to instead rename the airport after Dolly Parton.
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