Kacey Musgraves, Maren Morris, Jack White Mourn Dolly Parton: ‘The World Feels Less Sparkly’

The stars have lost a bit of their shine as the world mourns Dolly Parton , who died Tuesday at the age of 80. “The world feels a lot less sparkly all of a sudden,” Kacey Musgraves wrote on X. “Dolly. This really really hurts.” Musgraves found a silver lining while imagining Parton reuniting with her husband, Carl Dean , who died in March 2025 at 82. “So glad she’s with her Carl Dean,” Musgraves added. “No one talk to me today.”

Musgraves is one of many artists who have been inspired by Parton’s career. The country icon’s influence sparked a light in generations of singers and songwriters. But her impact extends beyond music: She also left an impression in the way she carried herself, particularly her willingness to spread love and stand up for anyone who has been othered and pushed aside.

“Well, I just got the news that my buddy Dolly passed onto the higher and greater side,” Reba McEntire wrote on Instagram , sharing a decades-spanning carousel of images with Parton. “Dolly, thank you for all the wonderful things you did for us here on earth. Your love, your music and you gave so much with your huge huge heart. There will never ever be another you. We will remember and cherish every memory and every note you ever played and sang.”

McEntire added, “Thank you, Lord, for Dolly. She’s gonna have a blast in heaven singing all her favorite songs with all her family and friends who have gone on before her. I’ll never forget the first time I met you and I’ll never forget our last conversation. I hold it with love in my heart. I will always love you.”

Mick Fleetwood recounted the exact day he first crossed paths with Parton. “I met Dolly Parton many years ago.. and will always remember how it felt…that instantly I was meeting an old friend,” he shared on Instagram. “Her energy was that personable, her magic through her whole life made folks feel like they belonged. Her positive approach to life and the amazing songs she wrote is her legacy that will live on in a world that so needs healing!! To family and friends of Dolly, my condolences… and the hundreds of millions that will miss her so…. God bless you Dolly Parton.” Editor’s picks The 250 Greatest Albums of the 21st Century So Far The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century

“Like the rest of the world, I’m immediately heartbroken. I met Dolly on several occasions and she always made me feel like one of her own. She even agreed to sing with me on one of my records,” said Kristen Chenoweth, who performed a duet of “I Will Always Love You” with Parton on her 2019 album For the Girls . “My ultimate inspiration. The world has lost one of the best but I know we will never forget her because she is impossible to forget. I love you Dolly and I will ALWAYS love you.”

In a tribute shared on Instagram, Sheryl Crow mourned the “hole in the universe” left without Parton. “There was and will never be anyone like Dolly. I did not know her well but I loved her like family… we all did. She was an incredible story teller musically and in real life,” she wrote.