Taylor Swift has paid an emotional tribute to late country music icon Dolly Parton following her death at the age of 80.
According to Variety, Swift shared a lengthy message on Tuesday, remembering Parton’s influence on her life, music and generations of fans.
“A world without Dolly doesn’t feel possible, real, or right,” Swift wrote. She praised Parton for the countless lives she touched and described her as “the gift that kept on giving”.
Swift also highlighted Parton’s ability to inspire people to embrace their individuality while remaining honest, generous and compassionate.
She recalled how Parton’s music, writing and philanthropy encouraged children to dream, particularly through her literacy programme, Imagination Library.
“For the melodies and lyrics she wrote that thawed even the coldest hearts,” Swift wrote.
“For the millions of books she provided children all over the world so that they might fall in love with stories the way she did.”
The singer also remembered Parton’s influence on her childhood dreams, writing, “For the tightropes she walked so that young girls like me could grow up dreaming of joining the circus too.”
“Dolly, I’ll think of you each step of the way,” Swift concluded.
Parton died in Nashville at the age of 80. The country music legend had a significant influence on Swift, who began her own career in country music before becoming one of the world’s biggest pop stars.
Swift had previously spoken warmly about Parton, describing her as a “force of evolution and transformation” in the music industry and praising her storytelling.
Parton, in turn, had expressed admiration for Swift and her career. In a 2024 interview with Variety, she called Swift “amazing” and praised the way she had handled both her career and personal life.
“I just admire her very much and how she’s handled her business, her personal life, and what all she has meant to so many young people,” Parton said at the time.
Parton also supported Swift’s philanthropic efforts. Last month, she shared a video message thanking Swift and Travis Kelce for donating $2 million to her Imagination Library ahead of their 3 July wedding at Madison Square Garden.
The two musicians’ longstanding admiration for one another has now added another poignant chapter, with Swift remembering Parton not only as a musical icon but also as an inspiration who helped generations dream bigger.
