Fans wearing t-shirts with images of Dolly Parton gather outside Dolly Parton's house in Brentwood, Tennessee. [Chandan Khanna, AFP]
Flags across the United States flew at half-staff Wednesday, and grieving fans gathered in the late country music star Dolly Parton's hometown in Tennessee as the nation paid tribute to the beloved cultural icon.
Every living US president praised the entertainment giantess who eschewed political speech while embracing philanthropy and a humble, working-class persona.
Across the Atlantic, the British royal family saluted an entertainer "who brought joy, comfort and inspiration to so many."
The post included a video of a ceremonial band in trademark red coats and bearskin hats playing Parton's working woman anthem "9-to-5" outside Buckingham Palace.
Parton rose from grinding poverty to become a rhinestone-studded icon with hits like "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You." She wrote 3,000 songs, starred in Hollywood films and donated millions to charities in her home state and beyond.
She was also an accomplished businesswoman with interests spanning from her popular Dollywood theme park to cosmetics, pet apparel, baking mixes and even a truck stop.