Texas Musicians and Country Stars Share Memories Following Dolly Parton’s Death at 80
Dolly Parton died at the age of 80, prompting an outpouring of grief, tributes, and shared memories from country music stars and Texas musicians who crossed paths with the artist over her seven-decade career. According to reporting from KXAN, artists across Texas and the broader country music community took to social media and television interviews to remember the Country Music Queen following her death.
Parton built a legacy that included writing over 3,000 songs, winning 10 Grammy Awards, and selling more than 100 million records worldwide, as reported by the BBC. Her career was defined by pursuing goals in an industry where women did not, especially in country music.
Texas Country Stars Post Tributes Online
Texas country music artists utilized social media platforms to express their sorrow and share archival media of the late singer. Willie Nelson shared a video on Instagram of himself and Parton singing a duet of their song “Everything’s Beautiful (In Its Own Way),” according to KXAN.
Kacey Musgraves posted three separate messages on X, writing, “Dolly. This really really hurts,” “The world feels a lot less sparkly all of a sudden,” and “So glad she’s with her Carl Dean. No one talk to me today,” as cited by KXAN.
Additional tributes came from across the genre. Maren Morris, a country singer from Arlington, posted a video on social media of herself and a group singing alongside Parton, adding the caption, “there will never be another. @dollyparton was who we could all agree on. she was and is such a light.” Leeann Womack, who’s from Jacksonville, Texas, shared a photo on Instagram asking, “Can you imagine how beautiful the angel band sounds today?” Waylon Jennings posted a photo of himself and Parton with the caption, “We will always love you Dolly,” while George Strait released a statement across his social media platforms acknowledging her global impact and offering blessings to the Parton family.
Ray Benson Recalls Working With Dolly Parton on ‘Wild Texas Wind’
Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel sat down with KXAN to share personal stories of his relationship with Parton. Benson recalled receiving a phone call from Parton while sitting in the green room of The Tonight Show during Jay Leno’s hosting tenure. Parton told him she was writing a movie and wanted him to write some songs for the project, which was the movie Wild Texas Wind.
“Then we met and just hit it off,” Benson told KXAN. He described her as a talented, funny, and deeply philanthropic person who remained connected to her roots. “She was the most giving person, you know, to the world that I’ve ever known.” Benson also credited Parton with altering the trajectory of Asleep at the Wheel, noting that her involvement changed how the band and Ray Benson were presented to the world.
Austin Musician Nakia Remembers Meeting on ‘The Voice’
Austin musician Nakia, who was a contestant on The Voice in 2011, also shared recollections of meeting Parton, according to KXAN. The collective remembrances from Texas artists highlight a career that bridged generations of performers, cementing Parton’s status as a foundational figure in American music and culture.
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