Dolly's America: The queen of country who united the country

The death of Dolly Parton, one of country music's greatest figures, sparked an unusual moment of unity in a country divided by politics. The singer died at age 80, according to her family, and expressions of condolences came from both the Republican and Democratic parties.

Parton, AFP noted, stayed out of major political disputes in the United States, and her passing brought about a rare consensus among opposing factions. President Donald Trump ordered U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff for a week in her honor and described her death as a "true loss for millions of people."

Trump also refrained from using the critical tone he has employed when referring to other deceased public figures in his remarks about Parton. His message focused on honoring the singer, whom he described as one of the greatest country artists of all time.

Tributes also came from across the political spectrum. Former Vice President Kamala Harris described Parton as a "true American icon."

A story many Americans could relate to

Parton embodied a quintessentially American story: that of a girl who grew up in a poor family in Tennessee and went on to become an international star, businesswoman and philanthropist.

Born in 1946, Parton achieved worldwide fame with songs such as "Jolene" and "9 to 5," and her self-penned song "I Will Always Love You" became an international hit in the version performed by Whitney Houston.

Her legacy extended beyond music. Parton built a successful business career and launched major philanthropic initiatives, including the Imagination Library, a program that has distributed millions of free books to children.

That work was recognized even after her death by figures from both political parties. Former Democratic President Bill Clinton highlighted her commitment to literacy, while Trump's Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, noted that Parton put millions of books into the hands of children and helped foster a love of reading.

"I don't do politics"

Unlike many celebrities, Parton avoided turning her fame into a political platform. In 2017, she explained that she did not get involved in politics and joked that her mother was a Democrat and her father a Republican.

The singer also acknowledged that she had fans from both parties and that she did not want to alienate any of them. Her stance allowed her to maintain a special relationship with an audience spanning a range of political views.

In 2016, during the presidential campaign between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, Parton also declined to reveal whom she would support. In an interview with The New York Times, she responded with humor regarding the two candidates.

"Everybody knows I don’t do politics," she told Fox and Friends in 2017.

Her distance from partisan politics did not, however, mean she avoided controversial social issues.

The LGBT community and COVID-19

Parton, a devout Christian, publicly expressed her support for gay people. In a 2016 interview with Larry King , she stated that everyone is a child of God.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she also weighed in on a politically sensitive issue: she funded research into vaccine development and encouraged Americans to get vaccinated. She even recorded a version of her song "Jolene" titled "Vaccine" while receiving her first dose.

Parton also became a symbol for several generations of women thanks to songs like "9 to 5," although she refused to identify as a feminist. In 2019, she summed up her stance by saying she was "pro-women."