Dolly Parton performs at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center on March 20, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. [AFP]
Americans of all stripes united to grieve the death of country music legend Dolly Parton, offering a rare moment of agreement as presidents of both parties joined entertainment and business giants in paying her tribute.
The singer, who was 80, was long heralded as one of the few celebrities that everybody loved.
President Donald Trump announced the lowering of flags across the United States for a week, calling Parton's death a "true loss for millions of people."
"Very sad to report that Dolly Parton, one of the greatest Country singers, and far beyond, EVER, has just passed away," Trump posted on his Truth Social network. "There has never been anyone like her, and never will."
Former president Joe Biden called Parton "an American original" who "treated everyone with kindness and respect," while fellow Democrat Barack Obama said it was "hard to imagine many people having a bigger impact."
Republican George W. Bush praised "her work to promote literacy, advance health, and strengthen communities."