Today, the world said goodbye to Dolly Parton, who passed away at the age of 80. I went to her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where fans were already gathering to remember her. Flowers surrounded her name, people left handwritten messages and lipstick, television cameras documented the moment, and Dolly’s music played on Hollywood Boulevard. It’s difficult to fit a life like hers into a few words. Born into a family of twelve children in the mountains of Tennessee, Dolly went on to become one of the most recognizable entertainers in the world. She gave us “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You,” while building a career that reached far beyond country music into film, television and business. But perhaps one of the most beautiful parts of her legacy had nothing to do with fame. Dolly’s father couldn’t read or write, and that experience inspired her to create the Imagination Library, which has provided books to millions of children around the world. Her husband, Carl Dean, with whom she shared nearly sixty years of marriage, passed away last year. Now the country is mourning Dolly too, with American flags at federal buildings ordered to fly at half-staff in her honor. Standing at her star, watching strangers bring flowers while her music continued to play, it didn’t feel like people were only mourning a celebrity. They were saying goodbye to someone who had somehow become part of their own lives. A little girl from the mountains of Tennessee became Dolly Parton — and the world will remember her. 1946–2026 #DollyParton #HollywoodWalkOfFame #CountryMusic #DollyPartonForever #Hollywood