Gov. JB Pritzker, Chicagoans pay tribute to late music icon Dolly Parton: 'Dolly led with love'
CHICAGO (WLS) -- A voice heard through generations is being remembered on Tuesday night as flowers stack up in front of a Dolly Parton mural at The Lytle House on Broadway in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood.
"This is a woman who really spoke her mind. She said what she believed in, and she said it in a way that wasn't divisive," said co-owner Michelle Lytle.
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Parton's family announced that the 80-year-old singer passed away on Tuesday at her home in Nashville.
"Dolly led with love. She led with kindness. She is the epitome of, I think, a loving person. And it's really sad that she's gone," said Dolly Parton fan Curtis Kimberlin.
Parton rose from humble beginnings, born on January 19, 1946, in a one-room cabin in Pittman Center, Tennessee. She was the fourth of 12 children.
Her career spanned more than half a century, penning more than 3,000 songs, including hits about love and heartbreak that have stood the test of time, from "Jolene" to "I Will Always Love You."
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"But she's been still working. She's putting her Broadway play together. She's still putting out new music, I feel like, in the last couple years. So, it's just really shocking," said Dolly Parton fan Curtis Kimberlin.
She performed at Ravinia in 2016, but her impact went well beyond the stage.
Parton came with a long resume but was also cherished as a philanthropist who donated millions of books through her "Imagination Library." It is a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality, and age-appropriate books to toddlers, regardless of the family's income.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker helped open her first Illinois chapter in 2023. The governor remembered Parton on social media.
"She spread her love by caring deeply for young children," Pritzker said. "Let's keep her family in our prayers and be thankful for her life."
According to ABC News, a small, private service will be held for Dolly Parton's close friends and relatives. When that will happen has not been disclosed.
