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Dolly Parton had it all. Talent, humor, an entrepreneurial spirit. A great, pounding heart. And she represented her homeland quite like no one else.
For his second night hosting ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live, Jelly Roll had the difficult task of paying tribute to the legendary singer, songwriter and entertainer. He did it from the top, during the monologue, staring down the barrel of the camera and saluting the all-time great of country music.
“We lost a legend today, the great Dolly Parton. She was such an inspiration to so many, myself included. We’re both from Tennessee and she meant a lot to my family, y’all,” he remarked.
Parton’s influence on a young Jelly Roll (real name: Jason DeFord) was profound. “We used to sit around the kitchen table and listen to her music together as a family. I’ll never forget it,” he recalled. “I learned so much from Dolly over the years, about songwriting, how to handle this crazy business, and how to support your community.”
Dolly was a one-off, and someone we could all be proud of. “She was infinitely talented. She was relentlessly funny and adored by all. She might be the last American that everyone liked,” he recalled. “We will miss her dearly. Rest in peace, Dolly. We will always love you.”
Parton died Tuesday at age 80 following “a brief battle with cancer,” according to a statement released by her team. Parton died at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville.
With a career spanning more than 60 years, Parton has been one of country music’s leading lights, one of the genre’s most revered and prolific songwriters. She’s a member of both the Country Music Hall of Fame and Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, she wrote more than 3,000 and placed 113 tunes on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart starting in 1967. Cumulatively, those hits spent more than 28 years on the chart.
Watch Jelly Roll’s tribute to Dolly Parton below.
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