Sabrina Carpenter is mourning Dolly Parton, sharing an emotional tribute to the country music icon on Instagram following news of Parton’s death. Carpenter posted a carousel of photos from the set of their “Please Please Please” music video, along with a caption reflecting on their time together.
“Oh dolly,” Carpenter wrote, opening the post with a broken heart emoji.
Recalling their first meeting, she wrote, “The only thing I could say after we first met was, ‘She really is an angel walking the earth’ and ‘we look like we could be sisters!'”
Carpenter said she would cherish their time together and carry Parton’s wisdom with her. “I will cherish our laughter and conversations, and I will keep your wisdom, your playful outlook on life and perfect sense of humor in my pocket for the rainy days,” she wrote.
“There will never be another you, and how lucky are we all to have experienced your singular magic as well as your once in a lifetime voice, songs and heart,” Carpenter continued.
She added, “Your light will be something the world will search forever to find again,” before closing with, “I will always love you,” followed by three butterfly emojis.
Parton’s death confirmed by family
Parton died on August 25, at age 80, according to a statement from her family shared on her official Instagram account by her nephew, Bryan Seaver. Her representatives said she died following a brief battle with cancer.
The family’s obituary described Parton as “a rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see” and praised her “timeless music and prolific songwriting,” as well as the “wit, warmth and kindness” that made fans feel like family.
Parton had faced several health difficulties before her death. She postponed a set of Las Vegas concerts in September, citing “some health challenges,” and canceled her Las Vegas residency in May while telling fans she was doing well.
She leaves behind a six-decade career featuring some of country music’s most enduring songs, including “Jolene,” “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You,” along with work as a singer-songwriter, actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist.
Parton was preceded in death by her husband, Carl Dean, who died at 82 in March 2025. The couple had been married for 58 years.
The ‘Please Please Please’ collaboration
Carpenter and Parton previously teamed up on a reimagined version of Carpenter’s hit “Please Please Please,” released on the deluxe edition of Carpenter’s 2024 album Short n’ Sweet. They also starred together in the accompanying music video, which showed the pair singing in a pickup truck on a road trip inspired by Thelma & Louise.
The original “Please Please Please” became Carpenter’s first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 2024. When announcing the deluxe edition featuring Parton, Carpenter wrote on Instagram, “And yes that does say featuring Miss Dolly Parton…. she wouldn’t want me to swear but holy s***!!!!!”
Carpenter had long cited Parton as one of her musical heroes. When the video was released, she wrote, “Dolly and me singing in a pickup truck!!!!!! I am so honored to have one of my biggest idols on a song that means so much to me. Short n’ Sweet deluxe is out now!”
Tributes from across the industry
Carpenter was among numerous music and entertainment figures who publicly remembered Parton following news of her death. Tributes also came from Reba McEntire, Kacey Musgraves, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jane Fonda and Paul McCartney, reflecting Parton’s influence across country music, film and pop culture.
