Beyoncé Pays Emotional Tribute to Dolly Parton After Country Icon’s Death: “You Were the Barometer”
- Beyoncé shared a heartfelt message on her website honouring Dolly Parton, who passed away peacefully in Nashville on Tuesday
- The tribute recalled the personal bond the two artists built while working together on Beyoncé's Grammy-winning Cowboy Carter album
- Beyoncé joins a wave of celebrities mourning Parton, whose representatives confirmed she had been battling cancer briefly before her death
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Beyoncé has broken her silence on the passing of country music icon Dolly Parton, who died peacefully in Nashville on Tuesday at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer. The global superstar published a deeply personal tribute on her website, honouring a woman she described as nothing short of a north star.
"Dolly, you were the barometer. The north star. Bold and brilliant. Talented and tenacious," Beyoncé wrote, celebrating Parton's lifelong commitment to authenticity and self-expression.
She went on to acknowledge the late legend's creativity, kindness, humour and remarkable business sense, crediting her as someone who taught others to remain unapologetically themselves.
What Beyoncé said after Dolly Parton's death
The two artists shared more than mutual admiration. Their creative partnership came to life on Beyoncé's 2024 album, Cowboy Carter, which went on to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Parton featured on the spoken-word track "Dolly P", where she introduced Beyoncé with a playful nod to the singer's earlier hit "Sorry" and its now-iconic "Becky with the good hair" lyric.
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Parton also lent her blessing to Beyoncé's reimagining of her 1973 signature song "Jolene". Rather than mirroring the vulnerability of the original, Beyoncé's version took a bold, assertive stance, with the narrator confronting rather than pleading. Parton reportedly laughed off the tonal shift, noting that while her narrator begged Jolene to leave her man alone, Beyoncé's version made clear the other woman had better watch out instead.
"I am grateful for your art, your heart, your generosity, your humour, your entrepreneurship. I'm honoured that I had the privilege to work with you," Beyoncé wrote, adding that she would carry the experience with her always.
She also described Parton as an "angel" whose work had brought joy to millions across the world.
Stars unite in mourning
Beyoncé is among a growing chorus of artists and public figures paying their respects. Miley Cyrus and her dad Billy Ray Cyrus, Jane Fonda, Reba McEntire and Kacey Musgraves are among those who have shared tributes following the announcement of Parton's death.
Parton's representatives confirmed she passed away following a brief illness, bringing an extraordinary career spanning several decades to a close. Her influence on country music, popular culture and philanthropy leaves behind a legacy that touched generations of music lovers worldwide.
Source: Getty Images
Ladysmith Black Mambazo pay tribute to Dolly Parton
Meanwhile, Briefly News previously reported that Ladysmith Black Mambazo honoured the late Dolly Parton, who died at 80, reflecting on their decades-long musical bond.
The South African group collaborated with Parton on covers of 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door' and 'Peace Train' in the 1990s.
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Source: Briefly News
