LOS ANGELES – Music and memories filled the Hollywood Walk of Fame Tuesday as fans gathered at Dolly Parton’s star to honor the country music icon.
What we know:
Fans left flowers, candles, photos and handwritten messages, with some singing along to her biggest hits.
Parton died Tuesday at 80 after a brief battle with cancer.
The legendary singer-songwriter was known for hits including “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You,” as well as her philanthropy, humor and larger-than-life personality.
What they’re saying:
“She rocked being low income. She never gave a [bleep] what people think,” said Mads Thomason, a Dolly Parton fan. “She tried her hardest to go out there and say, this is why it matters. I am with my family.”
“If Dolly doesn’t go to heaven, then none of us have a chance,” said Jean-Paul Jones, another fan. “She really, she put her money where her mouth was. She did the work.”
For Jeremy Robinson, a country music radio host for more than 30 years, Parton’s impact went far beyond music.
“We’re not just missing somebody who we see on a concert stage, or we hear on the radio,” Robinson said. “We’re losing somebody really, really special. The fabric of our lives.”
Robinson said Parton made people feel accepted.
“Didn’t matter what you were, you were a human,” he said. “We were taught God loves us. That’s what she spread every day.”
Parton also made a lasting impact through her charitable work.
“She was so kind. She raised so much money for charities,” Thomason said. “She literally put a book in my cousin’s hand when we couldn’t afford it.”
Her former West Hollywood home of 15 years was quiet Tuesday night.
At the Walk of Fame, however, fans continued singing her songs — and mourning a star they say made the world a better place.
“That’s why I say I hope I can be just half as good as that woman,” Thomason said.
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