Nashville lights up pink as hometown honours its biggest star

Los Angeles, Sep 25 — Communities around the globe are marking Friday as a tribute to the cherished country music star, with the date deliberately chosen as a nod to her signature hit "9 to 5."

Parton, who passed away from cancer last month at 80, built a remarkable body of work over her career as a singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, inspiring tributes both large and small in her honor.

In Nashville, where she made her home since age 18, the city is celebrating with pink lighting, commemorative posters, and free stickers, buttons, and bookmarks. Southwest Airlines is hosting a Parton-themed karaoke session for both passengers and staff on Friday, while Tennessee officials at the state and local level are working to rename the city's airport in her honor.

Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell said in a statement that Dolly Parton's influence on the city would endure for generations to come, through her music, her charitable work, and the standard she set for others, adding that she taught the community what it means to look out for one another.

In New Orleans, a marching organization known as the Krewe of Dolly will parade through the French Quarter as a tribute. San Francisco, meanwhile, is hosting a public gathering called "Dolly Day" in the city center, envisioned as a life celebration featuring loud singing, festive outfits, and encouraging acts of kindness in her memory.

Improving childhood literacy was one of Parton's central causes, achieved through her Imagination Library book-donation initiative. The program has grown rapidly and now distributes over a million books monthly to children across the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, and Australia. On Dolly Parton Day, the organization is asking supporters to contribute directly to their local Imagination Library chapter or help launch a new one in their area.

Famous for songs like "9 to 5," "Jolene," and "I Will Always Love You," Parton left behind an extensive musical catalog that still holds plenty of hidden gems for listeners to explore.

Parton had expressed hope that her music would leave a lasting legacy, and that she herself would be remembered as someone who worked to make the world better. Speaking to The Associated Press in 2024, she said she hoped her songs would endure and that people would remember her as someone who tried to do good and leave behind some positive contributions.