RIP Dolly Parton

[LilianaUwU]

Family has confirmed it.

https://variety.com/2026/music/news/dolly-parton-dead-dies-country-music-1236842727/

[gonealookin]

Take him, Jolene, he's all yours now.

[ZLoth]

https://variety.com/2026/music/news/dolly-parton-dead-dies-country-music-1236842727/
https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/dolly-parton-has-died-family-says-2026-08-25/
https://news.sky.com/story/country-music-legend-dolly-parton-dies-13446799

[Big John]

Say eulogy at the bridge unofficially named for her in I-65 near Mobile.

[NWI_Irish96]

Since we're a highway board I feel like she ought to be memorialized at the intersection of WI 40 and CTH DD near Colfax.

(If you're offended by this, just know that she likely would have found this hilarious)

[kphoger]

If you're offended by this

Depends what the memorial is designed to look like... 

[Scott5114]

I'm not usually one to care all that much about celebrity deaths but this one hurts. We could use a lot more people like Dolly in the world.

[hbelkins]

I'd imagine Sevier County, Tenn., will be practically closed the day of her funeral. Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge/Sevierville never close up for anything, but I'd say they'll make an exception that day.

And the procession will have to go down US 411 in downtown Sevierville, if she's in fact buried there and not near Nashville or somewhere else.

[akt85]

I'd imagine Sevier County, Tenn., will be practically closed the day of her funeral. Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge/Sevierville never close up for anything, but I'd say they'll make an exception that day.

And the procession will have to go down US 411 in downtown Sevierville, if she's in fact buried there and not near Nashville or somewhere else.

I think I heard that Dollywood closed early today when her passing was announced.

[bing101]

https://www.kswo.com/2026/08/25/dolly-parton-recorded-secret-song-be-released-after-her-death/?utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=organicclicks&tbref=hp

Apparently there will be another song to be released by Dolly Parton. 

[Henry]

While I've never been a country music fan, this is such a heartbreaking headline. RIP Dolly

[Bobby5280]

It was pretty shocking to hear Dolly Parton has passed away; there was news story on the last day or so where she had issued a statement about her not being able to fly to make an appearance somewhere. Her doctor clipped her wings. I figured she would get over what was ailing her and be back to performing again.

I'm not the biggest country music fan, but I really liked Dolly Parton. She had a great sense of humor and a big heart. Obviously she'll be remembered most for her music and then for movie career, but her charity work and efforts to improve childhood literacy won't be forgotten.

Retrospectives on TV always bring up the movie "9 to 5," but my thoughts went to memories of seeing Dolly Parton perform on TV variety shows like "Hee Haw" back when I was a kid.

[Max Rockatansky]

It was pretty shocking to hear Dolly Parton has passed away

I'm to understand she was 80.  That seems to be when around the age when a high percentage of people pass away.  I'm not saying it isn't sad, but at that age it doesn't seem surprising or shocking.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

It was pretty shocking to hear Dolly Parton has passed away

I'm to understand she was 80.  That seems to be when around the age when a high percentage of people pass away.  I'm not saying it isn't sad, but at that age it doesn't seem surprising or shocking.

There are some people who, regardless of age or any external factors, will just be a gut punch to lose. Somebody like Paul McCartney (even seemingly right now someone whose passing would be extremely unexpected if it happened in the near future) is another such example.

There is also a lot of deliberate misleading of the public about just how dire the situation becomes for some celebs to ward off unwanted attention and/or not to upset people, which I think Dolly was one such case for the latter reason. Beyond that, her last public appearance at the new truck stop was only two months ago, so no one really felt a reason to worry the worst.

[Bobby5280]

It's fairly common for people to be able to survive into their 90's (around 25%). Someone as wealthy as Dolly Parton would have access to top tier quality health care, which kind of helps improve the odds. Women tend to live longer than men too.

The news of her passing is also shocking to me because my own parents aren't much younger. They're in decent health (at least for now), but I think about them every time I hear of a celebrity or other kind of public figure dying in their 70's.

[akt85]

The Empire State Building lit up pink tonight for Dolly Parton.

[Max Rockatansky]

It's fairly common for people to be able to survive into their 90's (around 25%).

None of my immediate family or grandparents made it to their 90s.  The one that got the closest was my grandpa on my dad's side (he was 88).  The rest of my grandparents died between the ages of 62 and 78.  My mom died when she was 67 (lung/bone cancer) and my dad when he was 59 (brain cancer).

The only family member in the last three generations that died suddenly was my cousin when she was 9.  There was some sort of issue with her heart that had her on a transplant list back in the 1980s.  I don't remember much of the details other than seeing her one week at a family get together and being at her funeral the next.

My immediate siblings and my cousins are all now starting to approach my dad's age when he died.  I like to think all of us are better condition than he was, but I guess we'll see.  He was acting pretty weird for about five years prior to getting a brain cancer diagnosis.  The tumor more than likely was doing something that was mistaken for a midlife crisis.

[wriddle082]

The entirety of I-40 from the downtown Nashville loop to the NC state line needs to be dedicated in her honor.  All of it.  I don't care if I'm getting on the highway in Cookeville or Crab Orchard; I want to see a little green sign on the on-ramp and at every county line reminding me and the rest of the general public of one of the kindest and most generous humans to ever grace the world with her presence.

West of Nashville, I-40 is already called "Music Highway", and at every rest area has dedications to all of the musical artists who either grew up or set up residence nearby.  So dedicate the rest to Dolly.

As a teenager and young adult, she regularly travelled between her hometown of Sevierville and Nashville to perform.  Most of the initial traveling likely took place on US 441 and US 70 because I-40 had either not been built or was in its infancy, but it was built as her popularity rose.  So it's only fitting.

[jgb191]

Dollywood is on my list of must visits.  Their Blue Eagle wing coaster looks amazing.

[Great Lakes Roads]

I went to Dollywood for my second time not even a week ago, and she passed away today. A truly sad day for everyone!

[Ted$8roadFan]

RIP. I'd rename TN-66, US-321, and US-441 from I-40 to the North Carolina line the Dolly Parton Parkway.