08/25/2026
in 2019, i had the honor of meeting Dolly Parton at the Grammy’s MusicCares event honoring her. i had a booth set up and her stylist insisted she wouldn’t wear anything with less than a six-inch heel… and even though she loved my shoes, i wasn’t set up to be able to make my shoes for her with six inch heels! regrets abound!!
nonetheless, it was amazing to meet her, have a brief chat and get a pic. even though her manager told her no pictures, she still met everyone in the room and took pictures with all of us.
i had a chance to tell her how much her music had impacted me while growing up and how i watched her, on our black and white TV, with Porter Waggoner on ‘Midwestern Hayride’ while growing up as a kid in Ohio.
as you might guess, this is leading up to say that Dolly has passed away, and while that in itself is quite sad, she’s left behind an incredible legacy of music, generosity and kindness that will always be inspirational and soothing to millions of her fans: helping them get through the struggles of everyday life, with a song and a smile.
Dolly, you are truly legendary….sending you much love and peace, as pass onto whatever may be next… thank you for sharing your gifts with us.
