Obit Dolly Parton Reaction

Images and flowers form a makeshift memorial honoring Dolly Parton in front of her statue in Sevierville, Tenn., Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026.

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Dolly Parton's love of the Great Smoky Mountains helped transform her hometown

Dolly Parton's love of the Great Smoky Mountains helped transform her hometown

Dolly Parton didn’t just sing about her Tennessee mountain home. She helped transform it. Her deep devotion to rural Sevier County inspired her music and sparked a tourism boom. News of Parton's death has been profoundly personal for her neighbors. Parton was a beloved country music star and Tennessee's favorite daughter. She co-owned Dollywood, Tennessee’s most visited tourist attraction, and founded The Dollywood Foundation, which helped reduce high school dropout rates in Sevier County. Her Imagination Library has distributed over 330 million books worldwide. Parton's generosity, especially after the 2016 wildfire, changed lives and shattered Appalachian stereotypes.