Readers recall Dolly Parton as a generous, unifying and deeply influential figure whose kindness, music and advocacy affected their lives personally. Their tributes describe encounters with an unusually attentive performer, inspiration drawn from her rural roots and self-assurance, and grief at her reported death.

Contributors praise Parton’s support for women, Black and LGBTQIA people, as well as her philanthropic work on literacy, HIV/Aids treatment access and Covid vaccine development. Memories range from a volunteer meeting her at the Country Music Awards in the late 1970s to a puppeteer hearing her sing a cappella on a 1987 television set, illustrating the breadth and longevity of her impact.