“And I will always love you.”
This lyrics, I believe many people in China have heard it, and many have sung it too.
On August 25, Dolly Parton, the original singer of "I'll Always Love You" and a legendary American country music star, passed away at the age of 80.
After the news spread, a truly rare phenomenon occurred in American society: almost all the opposing political factions suddenly stopped attacking each other. People from country fans to pop music fans, from LGBT activists to right-wing conservatives, from minority groups to white people, from Republicans to Democrats, from presidents to ordinary internet users, all came together to mourn at almost the same time.
US President Trump announced that from 6 p.m. that evening, flags across the United States would be lowered to half-mast for a week as a tribute to this "uniquely historical" singer.
Immediately afterwards, other living U.S. presidents—Biden, Obama, Bush Jr., and Clinton—also issued statements, giving Dolly high praise.
This is a country where even simply expressing "who you like" can easily be labeled politically. Supporters of the two major parties are in direct conflict with each other, society is becoming increasingly divided, and celebrities are also finding it increasingly difficult to remain outside of this "cultural awareness war".
But Dolly Parton remains an exception.
American Cable News Network (CNN) gave an accurate evaluation: she is "a person who can unite a highly divided country."
However, people outside of the United States may have questions:
Why is it Doris Patton?
Why can a country singer, who brought division to this nation, find rare consensus at the moment of her death?
Dolly Parton's story is quite similar to an American-style "self-made" fairy tale.
In 1946, she was born into a poor family in Sevier County, eastern Tennessee. She was the fourth child among her twelve siblings. She described her family as “extremely poor”; they lived in a small wooden house with only one room, without running water or electricity. In winter, they had to use firewood to keep themselves warm.
Dolly (in the upper right) and her family
But it was in such an environment that her mother taught her to sing traditional Southern gospel songs, and it was also when she saw that her music dreams were sown.
Dolly started performing on stage when she was in her teens. In 1967, she released her first album "Hello, I'm Dolly", and gradually became an important figure in country music. Songs like "Jolene", "9 to 5", and "I Will Always Love You" helped her move from country music to mainstream culture.
Especially "I Will Always Love You," which was reinterpreted by Whitney Houston in 1992 and became a classic in the history of global pop music. However, many people don’t know that the original creator of this song is Dolly Parton.
Dolly released "I Will Always Love You" in 1974, and later authorized Whitney Houston to cover it in 1992.
In 1977, the already famous Doris said in an interview with the magazine Rolling Stone: “I long for freedom. I have songs to sing, and I have ambitions. This longing burns brightly in my heart.”
"I know this will force me to leave the mountain area. I know I can see the world outside Mount Da Yanshan." she said.
She later acquired more than just a musical career.
She is an actress, songwriter, producer, and entrepreneur, as well as the founder of Dollywood theme park. She manages her own business, creates her own songs, and owns the copyrights to her works. In an entertainment industry that has long been dominated by men, she has built her own commercial empire.
Over a career that lasted seventy years, she created over 3,000 recorded songs, winning 11 Grammy Awards and one Emmy Award.
American media often refers to her as a special kind of female icon.
Dolly can wear gowns adorned with glitter, wear exaggerated golden wigs, and openly talk about her cosmetic procedures. Yet she is also a shrewd businesswoman and a successful creator.
She doesn’t even mind joking about her appearance. “I know that even if I’m ugly like a monster, my songs are still beautiful… I like heavy makeup, fluffy hairstyles, fancy clothes, and showing off. That’s me.”
If Dolly Parton was just a successful singer, she might not have received such extraordinary respect.
American media mentioned her charitable work in their reports. The Wall Street Journal even praised her as a "saint of secularism in America."
In 1995, Dolly founded “Imagine Library”. Initially, she wanted to provide free books for the children in her hometown of Seville County. This idea was related to her family’s history: her father did not receive enough education and was unable to read or write.
So, she decided to allow more children to have access to books.
Dolly married her husband Carl Dean in 1966. They were together for 59 years, but they had no children.
The project has since expanded significantly, now covering the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Ireland. As of 2025, libraries have donated over 300 million children’s books. The program is targeted at children under 5 years of age, and regardless of family income, one age-appropriate book is sent free each month.
She sent the books she was donating to be read by millions of children. Biden wrote that for countless American children from rural and impoverished communities, Polly Patton was not just a distant celebrity but someone who helped them, for the first time, own their own book.
An American netizen asked a question on social media, receiving nearly 50,000 likes: "If Dolly Parton could give children 20 million books each year, why can't Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft do something similar?"
Dolly's charity efforts go beyond this. She actively participates in literacy programs, education, healthcare, and disaster relief efforts.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she funded vaccine research, providing crucial support for scientific breakthroughs. In her memorial speech, Obama specifically mentioned this: "As if that wasn't enough—she also helped accelerate the progress in vaccine research."
Dolly also stands firmly on the side of the minority group.
In 2005, she composed and sang the theme song for the transgender-themed film "Through America", for which she was nominated for an Oscar. In 2017, she collaborated with her daughter, Mallie Sears, to record the album "Rainbowland". Her style and music have been widely adopted by the LGBTQ community, and she is often imitated in drag performances.
Independent Senator Sanders listed the fields she dedicated herself to in her eulogy: "Literacy, education, LGBTQ+ rights, healthcare, and disaster relief."
"I don't think we should criticize and judge others," Dolly said to Larry King in 2016, "I believe we should be tolerant and caring towards each other... We are who we are, we should be allowed to be ourselves."
Dolly (left) and the drag queen who imitates her
In 2019, The New York Times wrote: “Is there anything else where we can reach a consensus? Yes, that’s Dolly Parton.”
The article states that in this politically charged era, Dolly refuses to disclose any political stance. She has consistently refused to become a “star spokesperson” for any political party.
CNN also wrote that in today's America, it seems no celebrity is immune to the effects of national division. But Dolly is an exception: she maintains neutrality during the 'cultural war' while also daring to speak her mind.
Her style is accepted by the LGBTQ community and she is very popular in drag performances.
She starred in a feminist comedy, becoming an idol for feminists, but she prefers to be called a 'businesswoman'.
She laughed as she talked about her cosmetic surgery…
When Dolly did all this, it seemed that she did not offend anyone. After the news of her death was released, country music fans, pop music fans, Republicans, Democrats, the president, religious leaders, and drag queens all sincerely wrote articles in her memory.
She once openly stated that she did not want to be involved in politics, as she did not wish to offend any of the parties' supporters.
"I don't care about politics, and I refuse to get involved in political conflicts," Patton said during an interview with *USA Today* in 2020. "I don't like getting into politics, first of all, because my Republican and Democratic fans are equally numerous. I don't want to offend anyone; I have the right to maintain my own stance."
Two years ago, she reiterated, “I realized a long time ago that if you want to continue in the entertainment industry, it’s best to keep your mouth shut.”
She even joked about her family: “My father is a Republican, my mother is a Democrat, and I’m a hypocrite!”
Dolly took a photo with the Carter family at the White House in 1979.
Of course, she does have her own stance.
She supports inclusivity and has openly discussed matters related to the LGBTQ community, but she rarely portrays these issues as a political struggle.
When asked about her views on members of the parliament, she was also straightforward: “I think none of them is working hard enough. They often care more about their party interests than the interests of the people.”
"I know that whatever I say, people will listen to it, and they might misinterpret it too, twist my meaning," Patton said in an interview with "People" magazine in 2021. “I certainly have my own views, but I'm generally not a person who sticks rigidly to what I think." Everyone has their own beliefs and convictions, however, you don't need to treat them as weapons; they can actually become a tool."
Dolly Parton's relationship with American politics is also quite unique.
According to Fox News in the United States, Dolly refused the President’s Freedom Medal three times. The first time, Trump offered her the medal, but she declined, citing her husband’s illness as the reason. The second time, she refused due to the pandemic. Once again, during the Biden administration, they proposed to grant her the medal, but she declined once more. She said she didn’t want to accept Biden’s medal while rejecting Trump’s, as it would seem like making a political statement.
In the United States, almost everyone loves Dolly Parton.
The Associated Press believes that her charm transcends gender, race, and class, as well as generations, regions, and politics.
Dolly makes the LGBTQ community feel accepted, makes feminists see her as an example, allows working class people to hear their stories in her songs, makes conservatives appreciate her beliefs and patriotism, and earns liberal admiration for her inclusiveness and charity.
She proved one thing: in this world where everything is either black or white, you don’t have to choose sides to earn the respect of everyone.
In April of this year, a survey conducted by the University of Massachusetts and YouGov showed that Dolly had a net favorability rating of +65%, leading far ahead. Second on the list was Obama, with a support rate of +14%. Both Trump and Biden had negative support rates.
Ironically, in today's United States, this kind of neutral, political-rejection attitude is becoming increasingly rare.
The Washington Post raised a thought-provoking question in its obituary: "In the modern history of the United States, who has had fan bases as large and loyal as Dolly's? Who has been loved by Christians, union members, drag queens, cowboys, literacy advocates, people from Tennessee, people of the Appalachian Mountains, music lovers, scholars, Jane Foster, and Trump?"
American right-wing media outlet Daily Wire’s co-founder Ben Shapiro also wrote unusually: "Perhaps this is the only thing that can bring Americans together—we all think Dolly Parton is great."
For Americans, this statement is actually quite offensive.
From presidential elections to issues like abortion, immigration, and firearms, as well as race, gender, and cultural matters, divisions within American society have long been deeply ingrained in everyday life. People not only have different political opinions but also live in different information worlds. It's becoming increasingly difficult for celebrities to remain impartial—a single political statement can lead to half of their fans cheering, while the other half turning away.
So, after Dolly passed away, a question that is more worthy of being asked than "how great she was" arises:
Where is the next Dolly? Or, will there be another Dolly in the United States?
On the 25th, an American internet user posted two screenshots on the social media platform X: Image 1 shows a statement from the American left-wing organization “Democratic Socialists” (DSA) mourning Dolly; Image 2 shows Trump announcing that flags in the United States would be lowered to half-mast as a tribute to Dolly.
In just 10 hours, this post received over 110,000 likes and over 6,500 shares.
Tweet screenshot
That netizen wrote: “Perhaps, we will never be able to witness such things again in our remaining lives.”
