Parton died Tuesday (Aug. 25), with the news shared by her nephew, Bryan Seaver, via Instagram. The singer/songwriter, actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist leaves behind a six-decade legacy that includes some of country music’s most famous songs, including “Jolene,” “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You.”
Carpenter posted a poignant Instagram carousel of photos of herself and Parton on the set of the “Please Please Please” music video, along with a heartwarming caption reflecting on the time they spent together.
“Oh Dolly,” Carpenter began with a broken heart emoji. “The only thing I could say after we first met was, ‘She really is an angel walking the earth’ and ‘we look like we could be sisters!'”
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Carpenter continued by remembering the conversations and laughter she shared with Parton, writing that she would carry the country icon’s “wisdom, your playful outlook on life, and perfect sense of humor” with her.
“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.”
“I will always love you,” Carpenter concluded, adding three butterfly emojis.
Carpenter and Parton famously joined forces in 2025 for a new version of Carpenter’s “Please Please Please,” released on the deluxe edition of her 2024 album Short n’ Sweet. The pair also starred together in the song’s music video, which finds them singing in a pickup truck and embarking on a Thelma & Louise-inspired adventure.
Carpenter has cited Parton as one of her musical heroes for quite some time, so the collaboration was seemingly a dream come true for her. When announcing the Short n’ Sweet deluxe edition, Carpenter captioned the news with, “And yes that does say featuring Miss Dolly Parton…. she wouldn’t want me to swear but holy sh–!!!!!”
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The original “Please Please Please” was also a major career milestone for Carpenter, considering the song became her first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 2024.
