Politicians on both sides of the aisle paid tribute to country music icon and philanthropist Dolly Parton, who died peacefully at her Nashville home at the age of 80 on Tuesday, underscoring the rare cross-party affection she inspired.
Her nephew Bryan Seaver announced the news in a video posted to her social channels, saying she passed peacefully and that a small private service would be held for immediate family only. A family statement confirmed the service was being kept private at Parton’s request. No cause was given.
President Trump was among the first to respond. On Truth Social he called her “one of the greatest Country singers, and far beyond, EVER,” wrote that her death was “a true loss for millions,” and said he was ordering American flags lowered nationwide for a week. “There has never been anyone like her, and never will,” he posted.
Democrats echoed the sentiment. “Rest in peace, Dolly Parton — a true legend and force for good. May her memory be a blessing, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) wrote on X.
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi called her a singular American icon “whose extraordinary voice, joyful spirit and generous heart brought light to millions,” and praised her as both a philanthropist and trailblazer who helped women find their own voices.
And lawmakers from her home state noted the impact she had in helping the communities she grew up around. GOP Rep. Diana Harshbarger, whose East Tennessee district includes Sevier County and Dollywood, said: “Dolly Parton was one of ours.” She noted Parton grew up in the First District and “never stopped being one of us” no matter how big the star got.
“Today, East Tennessee is praying for her family and grieving one of our own,” she added.
Fellow East Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett (R) posted that he and his wife Kelly were saddened by the news, called her an inspiration to little girls everywhere, adding that “Dolly never changed her accent or forgot where she came from.”
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle praised her for launching the Imagination Library. The program she started in her home county in the ‘90s, which has mailed more than 300 million free books to kids from birth to school age, according to the foundation.
Parton was predeceased by her husband, Carl Thomas Dean, who died in March 2025 at 82 after nearly six decades of marriage. In the months after, Parton said publicly that grief had worn her down and that she’d neglected her own health while caring for him.
She stepped back from the public eye and postponed a Las Vegas residency, telling fans as recently as last week she was still recovering.
Parton spent a career opting not to publicly pick a side politically. She played the White House under President Jimmy Carter, took Kennedy Center Honors under George W. Bush, and turned down the Presidential Medal of Freedom three times — twice under Trump, once under Biden — because she didn’t want it to look political. When asked in a November 2023 Metro interview about running for office, she said: “I’m not smart enough to be in politics, or maybe I’m too smart.”
The funeral will be private, per the family statement and Seaver’s announcement. The public reaction has been anything but. In a country that can’t agree on much, Dolly Parton was one of the few people both sides could still agree on.
We at Sources Say News plan to have a Dirt Road Martini in her honor.
