So many people miss Dolly Parton! Since the singer's shocking death on August 25 at age 80 from cancer, there have been tributes galore to the admired star. Her impact on the country genre is incalculable. The songs she wrote and performed have become classics like "I Will Always Love You" and "Jolene."
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Beyond that, however, Parton was such a special person. She used her immense resources and clout to better the lives of those she never met. Her Imagination Library, for example, brought the joy of reading to youngsters who might otherwise not have had easy access to books. Parton truly left a void that will not ever be filled.
Singer Kacey Musgraves is among those fondly looking back at her interactions with Dolly Parton. Those memories are very precious to her now. Per People, Musgraves even sounds a bit like a awestruck fangirl of Parton's. "I was lucky to get to be around her several times, and each time I was just like, 'What do I say?'" The depth of her respect for the "Coat of Many Colors" singer is shown by the fact that Musgraves dropped a bad habit for her idol.
"She Was...So Humble"
Kacey Musgraves can't say enough good things about Dolly Parton. It certainly is true, from the heartfelt observations of those who knew her best, that Parton was unique. She was modest, generous, sweet, and self-effacing.Those are qualities you don't always find in celebrities of that magnitude. She was totally, unflinchingly for real. In a profession that honors authenticity, Dolly Parton was as gloriously authentic as they come.
Said Musgraves if her friend, "She was exactly like you would think that she would be — so humble, sense of humor, fun, so professional, really warm. You could see someone like that and understand how they could be closed off and jaded, but she was anything but that."
Musgraves Made Sure She Was on Time for Parton
Musgraves added this tellingly. "I think the only time I've probably ever been really, really on time in my life was doing something with Dolly. I was like, 'I'm not being late for that!'"
The "Dry Spell" singer also mentioned this about Parton. "She's almost like Mr. Rogers, but times a billion in a way — Mr. Rogers wearing rhinestones. I was amazing to see how beloved she was and, I think, probably the closest thing we have to American royalty, you know what I mean?"
