Taylor Swift mourns Dolly Parton: 'A world without Dolly doesn't feel possible'

Anthony Robledo, USA TODAYWed, August 26, 2026 at 3:34 AM UTC

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Taylor Swift has paid her respects to the Queen of Country.

Dolly Parton's death at 80 was announced on Tuesday, Aug. 25, following a battle with cancer, her representatives said.

"A world without Dolly doesn’t feel possible, real, or right. But because of the eternally generous way she spent her time on this earth and the countless lives she changed for the better, her legacy will be an everlasting one," Swift wrote in a statement shared with USA TODAY.

The "Fearless" singer said that Parton was the "gift that kept on giving," admiring how she encouraged others to be themselves.

"Somehow she was able to give us her lessons about the world gently and honestly, simultaneously, and oftentimes hilariously," she added. "She managed to give the world the ultimate mystery and fantasy in some corners of her life, but to give full transparency in the ways that counted."

She continued: "Somehow she was true grace and true grit, all in one dazzling person. She possessed the softest heart when it came to the struggles of others, and a backbone of steel to defend her own self worth as an artist."

Swift and Parton first crossed paths in 2010 backstage at the Grand Ole Opry, where they both performed for the historic venue’s 85th birthday. Since then, they've had mutual admiration for one another.

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Early in Swift's country music career, she reportedly distributed a cover of Parton’s 1977 track "Here You Come Again" to record labels, according to the The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network.

In her statement, Swift said she was grateful for everything Parton gave her fans including the "melodies and lyrics she wrote that thawed even the coldest hearts."

"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. For the tightropes she walked so that young girls like me could grow up dreaming of joining the circus too," she wrote. "Dolly, I’ll think of you each step of the way."

Swift joins a plethora of celebrities to share tributes honoring the country music pioneer from Tim McGraw to Jane Fonda.

In Beyoncé's tribute shared on her site, she described Parton as "the barometer. The North Star. Bold and brilliant. Talented and tenacious."

"You taught so many lessons on how to be uniquely oneself. I am grateful for your art, your heart, your generosity, your humor, your entrepreneurship. I'm honored that I had the privilege to work with you," she wrote. "I will treasure that forever. Thank you for your profound impact on the world. You are an angel who has made this world a happier place because of your joyful art. You are truly one of one. Rest peacefully."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Taylor Swift mourns Dolly Parton: 'A world without Dolly doesn't feel possible'

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