If you don't usually listen to country music, the name Dolly Parton might sound a bit unfamiliar to you.

However, in America, she is not just a singer who had a few hits during her prime (she passed away yesterday), but rather a national treasure and cultural icon for nearly 60 years.

To compare, she has a similar status to legendary singers like Lee Mi-ja or Ha Chun-hwa in Korea, known across generations, but her influence extends much wider as she is also a famous actress, businesswoman, and philanthropist.

It was reported that Dolly Parton passed away yesterday, August 25, 2026, at the age of 80.

She reportedly died in a hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, surrounded by family while battling cancer.

Dolly Parton was born in 1946 in a poor mountain town in Tennessee, as one of 12 siblings.

Despite the family's financial struggles, she showed significant talent in singing and songwriting from a young age and began appearing on local broadcasts as a teenager.

Immediately after graduating high school, she headed to Nashville, the heart of country music.

In 1967, she began to gain national recognition by appearing on the popular program 'The Porter Wagoner Show' and later became a representative star of America as a solo artist.

If you had to pick one of Dolly Parton's signature songs, it would undoubtedly be 'Jolene.'

This song, released in 1973, is about pleading with a beautiful woman not to take her man away.

The melody is so powerful that even those unfamiliar with country music have likely heard it at least once.

However, for many Koreans, another song is likely more familiar.

That song is 'I Will Always Love You.'

Most people probably think of Whitney Houston's version when they hear it.

Surprisingly, the original songwriter and performer of this song is none other than Dolly Parton.

This song, released in 1974, was created when she parted ways with her long-time collaborator Porter Wagoner.

It later became a massive global hit when Whitney Houston covered it in the 1992 film 'The Bodyguard.'

'9 to 5' is also incredibly famous. It's a song that humorously expresses the frustrations of working people and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

Additionally, her duet with Kenny Rogers, 'Islands in the Stream,' also topped the Billboard charts, along with other iconic songs like 'Coat of Many Colors' and 'Here You Come Again.'

However, the reason Americans hold Dolly Parton in such high regard goes beyond her music.

She found success as an actress and achieved tremendous success as a businesswoman.

In Tennessee, there is even a theme park named 'Dollywood' after her.

Above all, she was highly respected for her charitable work.

Through the Imagination Library program, which she started in 1995, she has been sending free books to children for decades.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she donated a substantial amount of one million dollars to vaccine-related research.

Thus, Dolly Parton was not just a famous singer in America.

To music lovers, she was a legendary singer-songwriter, to some, a familiar star seen on TV since childhood, and to others, a respected figure who consistently gave back to society.

Regardless of political views, she has been loved by a relatively broad range of Americans for a long time, which is another special aspect of Dolly Parton.

Therefore, the news of her passing seems to resonate deeply within American society.

It feels more appropriate to say that a page of American pop culture has turned rather than just noting the passing of a famous singer who represented an era.

Even if you are not familiar with country music, it would be good to listen to at least these three songs: 'Jolene,' '9 to 5,' and 'I Will Always Love You.'

Especially when you listen to Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You' again, remember one thing.

The person who originally wrote and performed that globally famous song is none other than Dolly Parton.