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Shania Twain & Dolly Parton
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Shania Twain, Céline Dion, Orville Peck & More Canadian Artists Pay Tribute to Dolly Parton
Following a battle with cancer, the country-pop music icon’s family took to social media to announce that Parton had passed away at the age of 80 in Nashville.
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Tributes are pouring in from musicians and other notable people for Dolly Parton, the late country-pop music icon who passed away following a battle with cancer at the age of 80 in Nashville yesterday (Aug. 25). That includes many Canadian icons.
Over the past year, Parton had been out of the public eye, citing unspecified health issues that forced the hitmaker to forego public appearances, including her planned 2025 Las Vegas residency, which was postponed and then cancelled. Following Parton’s death, her team revealed that she passed away due to an undisclosed form of cancer. Her death came 17 months after the passing of her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, who died last March.
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Parton was a cultural and commercial force. While she was known for mega-hits like “I Will Always Love You,” “Jolene” and “9 to 5,” she used her fame for the greater good, supporting the queer community, championing diversity, and launching Imagination Library, an initiative that provides children with free books to inspire reading, which had a Canadian outpost.
“My mentor is gone,” wrote Shania Twain, posting a clip of her performing Parton’s “Coat of Many Colours” with the country music icon in 2003. “My songwriting teacher and hero of grace and humility. There is a hole in my heart but the joy of just the thought of her smile will continue to fill me with inspiration for as long as I live,” sharing that dueting the 1971 hit with Parton is a moment she’ll cherish forever.
When Parton was awarded the Kennedy Center Honour in 2006, Twain performed the track once again, while Parton sat in the audience, expressing gratitude.
While Céline Dion is gearing up for her upcoming Paris residency comeback shows, she took time to pay tribute to Parton.
“Dolly…you were pure light, with a kind heart and a generous spirit,” she wrote. “We will now be missing one of the most joyful voices this world has ever known. Thank you for the music, the laughter, and the love you gave us all. We will always love you,” a nod to “I Will Always Love You,” a track that gained notoriety following Whitney Houston’s cover in the ‘90s.
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During a performance in London, Orville Peck told the crowd he was deeply affected by Parton’s passing: “I’m a little bit of a mess right now,” he said. “She really stood for kindness and I think that’s something that is really lacking in the world these days… I feel we can always remember what she stood for.”
He continued his tribute, saying that he didn’t often use the word “hero” to describe anyone, but confirmed: “Dolly was my hero,” as his voice cracked. “I think as a gay man coming into country music and feeling sort of alone, the thing that always felt comforting is, like, just knowing Dolly existed in country…made me feel like maybe I had a friend there.” Peck went on to perform a cover of “I Will Always Love You,” saying: “We love Dolly and this is for her.”
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Canadian country singer Brett Kissel told CBC that Parton’s legacy was “unmatched.” He explained that he felt a kinship with Parton, as they both grew up in rural areas — Kissel in Saint Paul, Alberta and Parton in Sevier County, Tennessee — and were given guitars as young children — gifts that spurred their music careers.
He even shared a story from a few years ago, when he got a call from an unfamiliar number — but didn’t pick it up. About an hour later, he noticed the voicemail, congratulating him on his success: "I said, ‘Oh my God, you'll never believe it! Dolly Parton just called me,’” citing it as one of the best moments of his life and career.
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"It just goes to show how much she cares about the industry, how much she cares about others, and other people who are doing well in the business," he said. “She didn't have to do that. But that little 15-second voicemail is something that I'm gonna cherish for the rest of my life."
Honourary Canadian Katy Perry wrote a heartfelt tribute to Parton on Instagram, sharing that her “heart sank” when she heard about Parton’s passing.
“I had the honuor of meeting and singing with her several times. Every time I saw Dolly, she was a pure, sweet (but not saccharine) sassy, cup of joy,” she shared, pointing to Parton’s sense of humour and candor: “She proved that big boobs, big brains, and a big voice can all exist in one tiny body! But the biggest thing about her by far was her heart,” Perry said.
“If there’s someone you wanna look up to and model your life after, it’s Dolly. Dolly was glam, funny, and kind as fuck. Her star will forever shine bright and I bet you she’s already remodeling them pearly gates with rhinestones. We will always love you Dolly!”
George Stroumboulopoulos, a well-known Canadian media figure and music journalist, shared an interview he did with Parton, acknowledging her singular talent.
“There’s only ever been one of her. I cannot imagine the set of circumstances that would allow for the creation of another like Dolly Parton. She smashed through so many doors yet did it with the grace that the people who built those doors in the first place, were thrilled to see her. You will be oh so missed.”
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Parton’s impact reached beyond the music industry. Christy Clark, the former B.C. premier, took to X with an homage to the country hitmaker, calling her “my feminist idol.”
Clark wrote: “She chose and charted her own path. She made herself rich and shared much of her wealth with people who knew poverty the way she once had. She gave millions of children the gift of reading. She put her arms around the gay community when the AIDS crisis was at its height. And she gave so much beautiful and inspiring music. She lives in my heart always.”
Outside of Canada, Parton’s death has been felt across the industry, including some of today’s biggest acts.
In an exclusive statement to Billboard, Taylor Swift thanked Parton for “the melodies and lyrics she wrote that thawed even the coldest hearts.” Swift praised Parton for her songwriting and philanthropy and just general Dolly-ness.
“A world without Dolly doesn’t feel possible, real, or right,” Swift wrote. “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.”
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Swift praised Parton for knowing her own value as a creator, something the two artists shared: “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.”
Sabrina Carpenter paid tribute to Parton on Instagram, thanking her for her “singular magic.” Last year, Carpenter released a reworked version of her hit “Please, Please, Please” featuring Parton: “The only thing I could say after we first met was, 'She really is an angel walking the earth,’” the pop singer wrote, sharing behind-the-scenes photos from the music video shoot.
“There will never be another you and how lucky are we all to have experienced your singular magic as well as your once-in-a-lifetime voice, songs, and heart,” she wrote. “Your light will be something the world will search forever to find again.”
While Eminem and Parton never met, the rapper shared a heartfelt note written by Parton, who congratulated him on his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame four years ago. She was inducted into the Hall of Fame that same year.
“I’m sorry we never got a chance to meet, but getting this note from Dolly really had an impact on me,” the “Not Afraid” singer captioned the post on Instagram. “She definitely didn’t have to take the time to do it. Even for a kid who mostly listened to rap music, she was an icon. A superstar in every sense. Rest easy Dolly. And thank you for the kind words.”
Per Parton’s request, “a small, private service will be held for immediate family." According to her family, "fans and friends from around the world are encouraged to pay tribute to Dolly on social media by tagging @DollyParton or by leaving a message at www.dollyparton.com. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at www.imaginationlibrary.com.”
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