Last night, August 25, 2026, the music world lost one of its longest-standing and most beloved stars. Dolly Parton passed away at the age of 80, and with her went a piece of music\u2014particularly country music, of which she was known as the queen\u2014as well as a piece of entertainment and global pop culture. With her one-of-a-kind style, her unmistakable trademarks\u2014from her bouffant hair to her ultra-glamorous makeup\u2014and that sense of humor that won over millions of people around the world, not to mention her music. <\/p>\n\n
And it was the music world\u2014and the entertainment industry more broadly\u2014that mourned her passing. Among the first to pay tribute to the icon was Sabrina Carpenter, with whom Dolly had collaborated on a version of Sabrina\u2019s \u201cPlease Please Please,\u201d released on the deluxe edition of her 2024 album *Short n\u2019 Sweet*. On Instagram, the singer wrote: \u201cOh Dolly. The only things I could say after meeting you for the first time were: \u2018You really are an angel sent down to Earth\u2019 and \u2018We look like sisters!\u2019 I\u2019ll cherish our laughter and our conversations forever, and I\u2019ll carry your wisdom, your playful outlook on life, and your perfect sense of humor with me to draw on during the toughest days. There will never be anyone like you again, and how lucky we are to have been able to experience your unique magic, as well as your one-of-a-kind voice, your songs, and your heart. Your radiance is something the world will forever strive to recapture. I will love you forever.\u201d <\/p>\n\n