Agustina Ruiz reflects on how the reported deaths of Dolly Parton and Uruguayan musician Ruben Rada reshaped her memories of touring, relationships and home. Rather than recalling the Dolly Parton podcast she had been listening to, her journals brought back vivid details of food, illness, television, travel and a chance vinyl discovery, illustrating how memory often preserves ordinary moments rather than intended highlights.

Ruiz presents Rada as a beloved and influential figure in Uruguayan music and culture. Born in Barrio Sur in 1943, he helped develop candombe beat with Eduardo Mateo, performed in groups including Los Hot Blowers, El Kinto, Totem and Opa, and continued creating widely recognised music after Uruguay’s 1973–85 dictatorship scattered the country’s cultural scene; his work also connected with figures such as José Mujica and Mick Jagger.