Dolly Rebecca Parton (1946-2026) Now “In the Arms of Jesus”

We, at TheSmokies.com, are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Dolly Parton. She was beloved by us, and by the world as a whole.

I want to tell you that a darkness settled over the Smoky Mountains on Aug. 25th. And that this is true in a literal sense. The sun fell and the stars twinkled above the peaks and the meadows and the cricks and the hollers. Just as they have since the dawn of time. 

But the night that Dolly Parton transcended the physical world – the peaks and valleys and meadows in which she grew – we want the darkness to feel deeper, more significant, more hallowed than it did the night before or all the days and nights before she left. 

A profound death and life

There has been a profound death. And it is time to mourn. To shroud ourselves and weep and wail at what we have lost. But the truth is – as much as I prefer to wallow in a melancholy fog when I feel the shroud of sadness – the hurt of such a momentous loss, I cannot tonight see the darkness. 

I can see the light. It’s her light and the meager absence of the sun cannot match it. The sadness in my heart cannot endure it. The world will awaken in the morning and the memory of her beautiful, radiant joy will lift our spirits. Dolly Parton has gone home. But her light will shine forever and – if you let it – will drive the melancholy fog away.

What happened to Dolly Parton?

In the literal sense? She died at the age of 80. The malady that had slowed her down since the death of her beloved husband Carl Dean one year prior, finally caught up with her. 

In the spiritual sense? She went home to Carl Dean and to her mom and dad. And also, to her brothers and sisters who went ahead of her. Among the hills and meadows of the Locust Ridge community of Sevier County, once again free to run amongst the forests and the flowers and the butterflies which she loved so much. 

There had been signs, of course, recently. She cut back on her workload, missed public appearances. When she did appear, she seemed more fragile, more frail. If you watched her periphery, you could see the careful eyes of those in her circle, ready to rush to her aid at the slightest hint of a stumble. 

Earlier this month, she was scheduled to appear at the launch for NightFlight Expedition, the newest and most expensive toy at her Dollywood theme park. Earlier in the year, she and Dollywood President Eugene Naughton joked about whether or not he could get her to ride.

She appeared at the event via video message. Her spirit was the same as always. But even though she assured us, it was just a doctor’s precaution, she showed signs of a possible serious ailment with slighted slurred words.

For many Dolly watchers, it was a worrisome sign. And those worries proved warranted. 

Who is mourning Dolly Parton? 

The world. Nothing short of the world is mourning Dolly Parton. They are remembering her talent as a singer and a songwriter and an actress. They are remembering her amazing rags to riches story. The world is talking about her business acumen, her philanthropy, her beauty and her sense of humor. They are marveling at her innate kindness, her massive fame that never overwhelmed the core of the little girl from the mountains of East Tennessee. 

The word broke quickly and as Dolly would, she planned everything to make it easier on us. She had designated her nephew to inform the world, via video spread over social media and beyond. So, she wanted us to know as quickly, cleanly and clearly as possible. I can’t think of another celebrity who was so prepared to inform the world of her demise. 

And the reactions poured in as they can so quickly do in the modern age. It was overwhelming to see them all. But there as a funny thing that happened in all that outpouring of grief and sorrow. The tributes poured in and through them her light shone. There she was laughing with Johnny Carson or sharing the stage with Kenny Rogers or turning her acrylic nails into percussion instruments. Dolly’s movies and Dolly’s shows. There she was, helping to get millions of books to children all over the world. There she was providing respite for her neighbors in the mountains following fires and floods and literal hurricanes. 

Her effervescence outshone our grief. Her spirit mightier than the grave. She was funny and kind and giving and talented and shrewd and so much more.

What are your memories of Dolly?

I never met her. Never knew her except through her performances and good works. I remember her efforts after the Gatlinburg fire and the Hurricane Helene flooding in Newport and Cocke County. Her steadying presence and support was invaluable. Reportedly, she donated a good bit of her fortune.

I remember the several times I got to be in her presence at Dollywood events, sitting rows away and completely getting swept up in her charm as if I was the only one in the room she was talking to. 

My favorite memory, however, came in 2016 – the year Lightning Rod opened. The ambitious roller coaster was delayed by several factors and Dolly ended up arriving at the park to announce a ride that wasn’t ready to open. They set up a stage right outside the ride entrance and Dolly came and talked to the  press. Dolly was talking about the delay and preparing to sing her early hit “Puppy Love” when she spotted my 11-year-old daughter amongst the press. Dollywood had graciously allowed her to join me so we could cover the event and then enjoy some father daughter time in the park. 

Dolly spotted Sofia and broke her spiel, waving to the child in the audience. She didn’t have to do anything but she saw an opportunity to make a little girl’s day and took it. 

“Hi, honey how are you doing? Good to see you.”

Ten words and that wave was enough to make a memory to last a lifetime for a little girl and her dad. And make no mistake, Dolly knew the impact of those words and the eye contact and a smile. She gave that gift easily. 

What will happen next? 

If the announcement of her death is any indication, Dolly was prepared. The great institutions of her life, Dollywood, the Imagination Library, her many businesses and charities will go on, I suspect, as if she was still here overseeing them. And of course, they will be. Dolly planted too much of her own spirit, her own in dominatable force into this world for it to fade away because of a measly thing like death. Dolly will go on through her music and spirit and her philanthropy far more than the 80 years she got on this Earth. 

I am thinking about the annual season ticket holder’s day. The opening of the park where Dolly – more often than not – would come and speak to fans and media, share a song or two and talk about what was in store for her beloved park this season. 

In recent years, I’ve come to look forward to the give and take between Dolly and Dollywood President Eugene Naughton. Naughton is a businessman, but personable. He’s a great interview and I really respect that someone running such a major operation can remain – or seemingly remain – so open and accessible. But Naughton, on stage with Dolly, was always just hanging on for dear life. Dolly delighted in running off script, catching Naughton flatfooted and getting a reaction out of him. 

Her natural wit, charm and puckish delight in mischief would be on full display. If there was ever a more likeable person on stage, I have yet to see them. 

Today, amongst the outpouring of grief and memories, I had a sudden vision of next year’s season opening and the gigantic hole that will be there and it was almost too much to bear. And I was sad, so terribly sad. I wanted to hold on to the grief, but I couldn’t because the next memory made me smile and the one after that made me laugh. Then I listened to “Islands in the Stream” – a song I vehemently disliked as a boy – and it was instantly stuck in my head and I felt it lift my spirit. 

You see, that is what Dolly’s enduring legacy is. We will be sad that she has gone from this place but the legacy that built will never leave us. It is too big and bright and joyful. She showed us the way by loving deeply, caring deeply for others, standing up for those who needed her help. Sharing her talent with the world prepared us for the inevitable. She surely showed us the way. 

How will we go in a world without Dolly Parton in it? 

“And we’ll rely on each other, a ha.”