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Dolly Parton was more than a musical idol – for some fans, she was a spiritual icon
Dolly Parton was more than a musical idol – for some fans, she was a spiritual icon. Originally published by The Conversation.
By Sarah Dees, Associate Professor of American Religions, Iowa State University · 2026-09-05T23:02:20.429Z
The legendary artist often spoke about her own evolving faith. AP Photo/Jae C. Hong As soon as news broke about the death of beloved songwriter Dolly Parton, I began receiving condolence messages from across the country, and around the world. They came from friends, family and colleagues who knew I’d been working on a biography https://www.eerdmans.com/search results grid/?series=library of religious biography lrb of the country legend – everyone from a conservative Catholic monk to advocates for queer and trans rights. The list reflects the even more diverse array of fans, people from countless backgrounds, who are mourning her loss. The main focus of my project is Parton’s own spirituality, starting with her Appalachian upbringing. But it also examines her fandoms, including some people who elevate the singer to an almost sacred status. This was the case before her death – and even more so now. As a scholar https://sarahedees.com/about/ of American religions https://sarahedees.com , I teach my students about practices, texts and beliefs that many of them immediately consider “religious” – for example, a worship service led by a pastor. However, religion is also found far beyond these official times and spaces https://www.cengage.com/c/america religions and religion 5e albanese/9781133050025/ , including in popular culture. According to scholar America Wolff https://religion.fsu.edu/person/america wolff , fandoms resemble religious groups https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003079729 16/fandom religion america wolff in the way they focus on a single popular figure who inspires systems of belief, ritual and law. Singer’s journey Looking at Parton’s life reveals how a celebrity can incorporate religion into their public persona, without ostracizing admirers from other traditions. She discussed religion in interviews throughout her career, as well as in her 1994 memoir https://search.worldcat.org/title/33967606 , where she recounted her maternal grandfather, a fundamentalist pastor, preaching hellfire and brimstone. In 1971, for example, she told journalist Gene Guerrero how religion inspired some of her songs https://www.chicagoreviewpress.com/dolly on dolly products 9781641600040.php : “My mama used to read us all the Bible stories. I know the Bible pretty well, and I especially loved the stories.” That same year, she released “ The Golden Streets of Glory https://www.discogs.com/release/6475967 Dolly Parton The Golden Streets Of Glory?srsltid=AfmBOoqTqTn7UBCten54qnyM52kSGCJlwbWlWbEfjR jGiZoCkbjTK2i ,” the first of her several gospel albums. Six years later, talking with Rolling Stone interviewer Chet Flippo https://www.chicagoreviewpress.com/dolly on dolly products 9781641600040.php , Parton claimed that she wasn’t a Christian. But “I do believe, I know there is a God and He is still the best friend I got in the world,” she explained. “I talk to Him often, but I’m one of the world’s sinners.” Later in her life, though, Parton embraced the label “Christian” – albeit in a way that was very much her own. In the memoir https://search.worldcat.org/title/33967606 “My Life and Other Unfinished Business,” she explained that “Christianity and its symbols are powerful parts of my life.” However, she diverged from socially conservative elements of her grandfather’s faith by embracing makeup and flashy fashion, celebrating her own sexuality, and speaking up for LGBTQ+ rights https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/dolly parton gay rights 9.7320874 . She was never interested in proselytizing. People do not have to embrace Christianity “to be a decent and worthwhile human being,” she wrote. “Spirituality is the most intimate part of a person’s makeup, and it’s strictly up to the individual to choose how to express it.” ‘Gospel of Dolly’ This openness explains part of Parton’s widespread appeal. The popular podcast “ Dolly Parton’s America https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/dolly partons america ,” produced by journalists Jad Abumrad https://as.vanderbilt.edu/communication science technology/bio/jad abumrad/ and Shima Oliaee https://www.shimaoliaee.com/ , was based on the premise that Parton is one of the few public figures to have fans across the political spectrum. After her death, President Donald Trump posted a tribute on his social media site, TruthSocial, and ordered that flags be flown at half staff https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music news/dolly parton donald trump flags half staff 1235615013/ for a week. At the same time, in the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco – a haven for the queer community – a Pride flag was also flying at half staff in her honor https://www.youtube.com/shorts/OjG7wEZRcC8 . Mourners include Jesuit priest and author James J. Martin, who thanked Parton for “ teaching me about the Christian life https://www.instagram.com/p/DcguaiKnPxz/ ,” and numerous Christian musicians https://www.chvnradio.com/articles/christian artists mourn loss of dolly parton who looked up to her. “She was the epitome of faith, grace, talent, beauty and humour,” country artist Carrie Underwood wrote https://www.instagram.com/p/Dcel g3FZaV/?utm source=ig embed&ig rid=ARe9Gk6uA7S5ZOqrIExg 45&img index=9 . “She had a humble heart for Jesus and made everyone around her feel special.”
Dolly Parton performs in concert at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on July 31, 2015. Wade Payne/Invision/AP But even non Christians discussed Parton in sacred terms: a “ secular American saint https://www.vox.com/culture/22287463/dolly parton explained ,” as Vox writer Constance Grady designated her in 2021. Beyond her music, these fans admired her philanthropy, from the Imagination Library program that distributes books to children around the world https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2026.2678212 to her US$1 million donation that helped fund COVID 19 vaccine research https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/celebrity/articles/dolly parton 1 million covid 144000058.html . They also highlighted her support for the Black Lives Matter movement https://www.npr.org/2020/08/14/902506007/of course black lives matter dolly parton tells billboard and LGBTQ+ rights https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/music/music features/dolly parton dies lgbt advocacy 1236682086/ . “Dolly Parton is beloved because she has devoted her career to standing for love,” Grady wrote https://www.vox.com/culture/22287463/dolly parton explained . Even before her death, though, some people idolized her in a saint like way. In 2011, for example, photographer Alice Hawkins https://www.instagram.com/alicesadventures/?hl=en produced a project titled “ Dolly Parton is my religon https://patriciamcmahon.wordpress.com/2011/11/03/dolly parton is my religion ponystep magazine alice hawkins/ .” Rev. Lindy Vogado, a Presbyterian pastor, likened her to a prophet https://pres outlook.org/2025/11/glittery down home prophetic/ . “Dolly Parton, through her life and work, inspires us to be better versions of ourselves,” Vogado wrote in 2025. “Just like any good prophet would do.” In recent years, churches in Illinois https://religionnews.com/2022/05/30/chicago church preaches the gospel according to dolly parton/ , Oklahoma https://soundcloud.com/user 201740710/the gospel according to dolly and New York https://www.instagram.com/p/DZnAum5yx5k/?utm source=ig web copy link&igsi=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== have held services based on “the gospel of Dolly.” I attended the service in New York, which interspersed Parton’s songs with readings from scripture and homilies. Like the other services, the one I attended emphasized Parton’s “teachings”: love, care and acceptance. Angels and atheists Since her death, the religious language has only intensified. Musician Roseanne Cash referred to the singer as a “goddess https://www.instagram.com/rosannecash/reel/DcfCIyQNzcy/?hl=en ” on Instagram, and cartoonist Marshall Ramsey https://marshallramsey.com/ portrayed her as an angel https://www.instagram.com/p/DceYV lM5hC/?utm source=ig web copy link&igsi=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== . “Listen, I’m fairly well atheist and have been for decades,” Threads user @cartergoesplaces proclaimed https://www.threads.com/share/D0Bvw lap/ , “but Dolly Parton is in heaven with Jesus now. That’s simply a fact, and I’ll hear no arguments, no matter how vast the cosmos…” Parton had her own personal brand of Christian religiosity, but she encouraged others to find and follow their own paths. I believe this helps to explain the huge outpouring of admiration – from followers of many religious traditions, followers of none, and followers of Dolly herself.
Sarah Dees does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.