On Saturday, Parton\u2019s niece, Lainey Mae Parton, shared a heartfelt tribute to the late country music icon on Instagram<\/a>, reflecting on the private moments and unwavering support she received from her \u00abGranny.\u00bb<\/p>\n \u00abThis is a really hard post for me to make,\u00bb Lainey Mae wrote. \u00abI wanted to wait until after my granny was laid to rest yesterday before I tried to put any of this into words.\u00bb<\/p>\n STEVE DOOCY: THE DOLLY PARTON I SAW WHEN THE CAMERAS STOPPED ROLLING<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Dolly Parton was laid to rest on Friday, her niece confirmed. (Katherine Bomboy\/NBC via Getty Images)<\/p>\n \u00abFrom the time I was little, my granny always had a way of making me feel like I was enough,\u00bb she continued. \u00abShe never made my dreams feel too big or made me feel like I couldn\u2019t do something. She believed in me before I even knew how to believe in myself.\u00bb<\/p>\n PUT YOUR ENTERTAINMENT KNOWLEDGE TO THE TEST AND SEE HOW YOU SCORE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Lainey Mae said she could not think of a single bad memory with Parton and praised the singer for making her family feel deeply loved.<\/p>\n DOLLY PARTON\u2019S SIX-DECADE LOVE STORY WITH CARL DEAN BEGAN AT A LAUNDROMAT<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \u00abBecause she couldn\u2019t have kids of her own, she always made us feel like we were hers,\u00bb she wrote. \u00abShe loved us that way, and I\u2019ll forever be grateful for that.\u00bb<\/p>\n One memory that stood out, Lainey Mae said, was being asked to sing with Parton on her \u00abSmoky Mountain DNA\u00bb album while she was a freshman in high school.<\/p>\n DOLLY PARTON’S PATH FROM NASHVILLE NEWCOMER TO BILLBOARD’S NO. 1 COUNTRY MUSIC ARTIST OF ALL TIME<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \u00abI was SO nervous,\u00bb she recalled. \u00abBut she had a way of making me feel like nothing bad could happen. She made me feel safe, confident, and like I belonged right there beside her.\u00bb<\/p>\n Country singer Dolly Parton died on Tuesday, Aug. 25. (Michael Ochs Archives\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n Lainey Mae also remembered Parton\u2019s support when she decided to attend beauty school instead of college.<\/p>\n DOLLY PARTON SLEPT AS LITTLE AS 3 HOURS, DID HER OWN HAIR AND MAKEUP ON SET, CO-STAR DANICA MCKELLAR SAYS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \u00abShe financially supported me through school and helped me get my career started,\u00bb she wrote. \u00abShe didn\u2019t just tell me to chase my dreams, she helped me get there.\u00bb<\/p>\n The singer\u2019s niece said she was grateful for the opportunities and memories they shared, including appearing in a movie with Parton.<\/p>\n \u00abI have things I can watch, hear, and hold onto when I miss her,\u00bb she wrote. \u00abIt still doesn\u2019t feel real that she\u2019s gone. I\u2019m going to miss her voice, her laugh, her hugs, and just knowing she was there. I\u2019m even going to miss those 4 AM calls, and I\u2019d give anything to see her name pop up on my phone again.\u00bb<\/p>\n \u00abI feel incredibly lucky that I got to call her my granny,\u00bb Lainey Mae concluded. \u00abThank you for always believing in me, loving me, and making me feel like I could do anything. I love you, Granny. Always.\u00bb<\/p>\n Parton’s impressive career spanned seven decades. (ABC Photo Archives\/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)<\/p>\n Parton died peacefully in Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday following a brief battle with cancer<\/a>, according to a press release. She was surrounded by loved ones at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.<\/p>\n \u00abOur beloved Dolly Parton<\/a> spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched,\u00bb her team said in a statement.<\/p>\n DOLLY PARTON’S \u2018ALL-AMERICAN HEART\u2019: HOW COUNTRY ICON FORGED SPECIAL BOND WITH US MILITARY<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \u00abHer unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand,\u00bb the statement continued. \u00abWhether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly\u2019s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact.\u00bb<\/p>\n LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Parton\u2019s decades-long career produced enduring hits including \u00abJolene,\u00bb \u00abCoat of Many Colors,\u00bb \u00abHere You Come Again,\u00bb \u00ab9 to 5,\u00bb and \u00abI Will Always Love You.\u00bb The latter found global success when Whitney Houston recorded it for the 1992 film, \u00abThe Bodyguard.\u00bb<\/p>\n TENNESSEE MOVES TO RENAME NASHVILLE AIRPORT FOR DOLLY PARTON DAYS AFTER BELOVED ICON’S DEATH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Parton made her feature film debut opposite Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in 1980\u2019s \u00ab9 to 5.\u00bb Parton later appeared in films including, \u00abThe Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,\u00bb \u00abRhinestone,\u00bb \u00abSteel Magnolias,\u00bb and \u00abJoyful Noise.\u00bb<\/p>\n WATCH: Remembering Dolly Parton: Country music icon dies at 80<\/strong><\/p>\n Parton was also known for her decades-long marriage to Carl Dean, who largely stayed out of the public eye during their nearly 60 years together. Dean died in March 2025.<\/p>\n Beyond music, Parton built a business empire in her home state of Tennessee, with Dollywood becoming one of the state\u2019s most popular attractions. Her charitable work through the Dollywood Foundation and Imagination Library also left a lasting impact.<\/p>\n![\"Dolly](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/dolly-parton-mountain-magic-christmas.jpg\")
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