Dolly Parton, pop culture titan of the 20th and early 21st Century, has sadly passed away at the age of 80.
Parton was born in 1946 in Tennessee and became one of the United States's best-known country singers. She was known for her musical giga-hits, including "Nine to Five," "Jolene," and "I Will Always Love You," as well as her acting career and her philanthropy, including an international literary programme for children that positively impacted millions of lives.
I usually cover the passing of people with genre connections, though if anyone was universally beloved enough to overcome that, certainly it would be Dolly Parton. However, she did have several minor and perhaps surprising ties to genre fiction. In 2011, she voiced a role in the animated fantasy film Gnomeo & Juliet, which was her penultimate acting role. However, far more significant was her ownership of Sandollar Productions.
In 1996, the production company played a key role in bringing the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer to the screen, and was credited as a production partner on the show for all seven seasons (Parton herself declined a producer's credit, not wanting her name to overshadow the cast). Parton watched and enjoyed the show, and arranged parties and gifts for the cast and crew during its early seasons. Sandollar went on to produce spin-off series Angel as well. Star Sarah Michelle Gellar has expressed her admiration and gratitude for Parton's support.
An international legend and icon, Dolly Parton will certainly be greatly missed.
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