Country icon Dolly Parton passes away, leaves behind her legacy

On August 26th, Dolly Parton, American country icon and philanthropist, passed away at the age of 80. The loss shocked the country, with millions left mourning her death. Parton’s legacy is all over social media, with flowers pouring in from fans, the American flags lowered at half-mast, and radio stations playing her hits. Her reach certainly has touched LHS as well, and teenagers in general are rallying behind Parton with her unashamed femininity, her catchy tunes, and her generous soul.

When Sophomore Mallory Gore heard the news, she thought it was fake. “I was crushed. I did not believe it at first, I thought that it was just the internet. I thought she was going to live forever,” said Gore. She had grown up listening to Dolly Parton.

Others shared this sadness, expressing shock at her passing since it seemed like Parton was eternal. Debuting as a child star, Parton became a staple of the music industry for over 60 years. “It was pretty sad to see such an icon go… she was probably one of the greatest musical artists ever who did amazing things for her community,” said Sophomore Lucien Adducci.

Many LHS students reflect on Parton’s extraordinary philanthropy, donating countless books to children in an effort to prevent illiteracy. She famously avoided billionaire status by donating millions of dollars to charities and causes.

“Her messages were so different from a lot of other celebrities,” said Senior Fox Renner. “I just like how she stayed consistent throughout her entire career with what her views were and what she supported, and her philanthropy was just really really cool.”

Parton was also looked up to by a lot of members of the LGBTQ+ community, and repeatedly talked about how we should love everyone. “She was just so supportive of everybody, and she really brought goodness to the world rather than hate, unlike what a lot of other celebrities do.” said Gore. Parton touched the hearts of LGBTQ+ youth across the nation.

Students also greatly admired how Parton rose from poverty to become a global star, but never abused her privilege. When asked what about Parton inspired him most, Adducci had a few thoughts. “Just going from the bottom up, even with all of the money and fame she was a sane human who did good things.”

Parton idolized the town “tramp”, with peroxide blonde hair, loads of makeup, and long red nails. What her mom called “just trash” quickly became Dolly’s signature look. “She was always in character, with her big wigs and makeup, but I think her character was pretty close to her real self,” said librarian Barbara Donahue. There was more to Parton than meets the eye. “She always had really good comebacks. You know, because people thought she was a dumb blonde, but she wasn’t. She was very smart.”

And she wasn’t only smart. “I mean, what a voice!” said Donahue with praise. There is no doubt that Parton’s memory will continue to live on for a long time in the USA, and in LHS. We will always love you, Dolly.