RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Tributes are pouring in from around the world for Dolly Parton, the treasured country music superstar and Hollywood icon who died Tuesday at 80 years old following a brief battle with cancer.
In San Francisco’s Castro District, fans gathered to celebrate her legacy as the marquee at the Castro Theatre was changed in her honor and a picture of the legend was placed at a corner memorial.
“After facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at a Nashville center surrounded by loved ones,” Parton’s team said in an official statement.
Her nephew initially shared the news on social media, expressing how deeply she cared for her supporters.
Parton, who rose from a poverty-stricken family in Tennessee to become an undeniable talent in music, film, business, and philanthropy, was remembered for her unique ability to unite people across all backgrounds and political spectrums. President Donald Trump called her passing “a true loss,” adding that flags will be lowered for a week in her honor.
“It was just her natural generosity and her thought going back to her own tough times, to make times less tough for whoever she could reach out to and be of help to, and so that has very little to do with being a Democrat or Republican or holding office or anything,” said Bay Area music journalist Ben Fong-Torres, who interviewed Parton in the mid-1990s. “Dolly was one of the first to pioneer telling stories based on her own life.”
Fong-Torres noted that during their interview, Parton was promoting an album combining classic country and non-country songs, describing her as “always an adventurer.”
Her impact resonated deeply in the Bay Area, where she performed in 2005 before tens of thousands at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival. Organizers recalled her professional response when her audio console died during the set.
“She didn’t really skip a beat and recognized there was a problem right away and went into talking and entertaining and goofing around with the crowd,” said Sheri Sternberg of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass.
Following the news of her passing, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus added her iconic song “I Will Always Love You” to their season preview performance.
“Every single day she woke up being exactly herself,” said Jake Stensberg, artistic director of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. “She did it courageously and publicly and in doing so, made us feel that way too.”
Fans throughout the city reflected on her enduring, selfless legacy.
“I don’t feel like she really had an ego,” fan Robin Krop said. “I feel like she was there for everyone and so everyone benefited from what she did.”
Local fans Dirty Carol and Sister Roma shared a similar sentiment during a gathering in the Castro.
“I think we should all aspire to be Dolly Parton,” they said. “We need more Dollys!”
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