08/26/2026
Tennessee has lost one of its brightest lights. 💔
Dolly Parton was more than a country music legend. She was Tennessee—our mountains, our music, our humor, our generosity, and our heart.
Although her story began in the mountains of East Tennessee, Middle Tennessee was also home for much of her life. The Nashville area became the center of her extraordinary career and the place where she and Carl built a quiet life together away from the spotlight. She was a familiar and beloved part of our Middle Tennessee community, which makes this loss feel even closer to home.
In her later years, Dolly devoted so much of herself to caring for her beloved husband, Carl. She put his needs before her own, even as her own health suffered. Behind the rhinestones, the music, and the fame was a woman who deeply loved her husband and remained devoted to him through nearly 60 years of marriage.
No matter how far her career took her, Dolly never forgot where she came from. From the mountains of East Tennessee to Nashville and Middle Tennessee, and ultimately to stages around the world, she carried Tennessee with her everywhere she went.
Through her music, Dollywood, the Imagination Library, and a lifetime of generosity, she touched generations of people.
For those of us who call Tennessee home, this feels personal. She was one of ours.
I like to think that after all those years of loving and caring for Carl, they are together again. ❤️
Rest well, Dolly. Thank you for the music, the laughter, the kindness, and the love you gave so freely.
There will never be another Dolly Parton.
A Tennessee treasure. An American icon. Forever our Dolly. 🦋🎶⛰️
