Miley Cyrus pays tribute to her godmother Dolly Parton:
“The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share. Our most sacred moments were private and they'll stay there behind the stage, beneath the glamour & between our hearts. What I KNOW is Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it, and then continue on and be strong. I have an angel by my side. I always have. One of our last conversations was about music and metamorphosis. I will always love her and want to make her proud. My heart breaks for the world, her family and friends who will miss her deeply. We're in this loss together and we will see her in all of the most beautiful things.”
It was revealed that Dolly Parton was secretly battling cancer but she didn't say anything and instead released this song as one of her last to raise funds for children with cancer. Even while she was sick she was still thinking about others. I’m absolutely devastated.
TIME’s new cover: Dolly Parton, the beloved country-music superstar, died in Nashville at 80.
Known for writing about the lives of working-class people in more than 3,000 recorded songs and later giving away nearly 300 million books to children around the world, Parton’s life was a true Cinderella story.
Simply put, Dolly Parton was an American original. She was an inspiration to millions. She was a relentless advocate for women and for equality. Through her Imagination Library, she placed the gift of reading into the hands of millions of children because she understood literacy is the foundation of opportunity.
But perhaps most importantly, Dolly treated everyone with kindness and respect. She lived her values with a flair and vitality for life that was uniquely her own. She was a trailblazer in every sense of the word, and she will be missed by millions around the world.
Jill and I are keeping her family, her friends, and her millions of fans in our prayers.
God bless Dolly Parton.