Liza Minnelli has shared a touching tribute to her late friend, country music icon Dolly Parton, remembering the singer's unique ability to sense when she was in need and their shared "spicy girl gossip." Parton died Tuesday at the age of 80 following a private battle with cancer.
"When I was in trouble? Dolly knew it," Minnelli wrote in a statement, alluding to her own well-documented struggles with addiction and a tumultuous personal life. Minnelli and Parton were introduced by their mutual agent, Sam Haskell, who also represented Minnelli's longtime collaborator Michael Feinstein.
Minnelli recalled their friendship blossoming over "great meals" and exchanges of "spicy girl gossip" after watching each other perform. "The sound we hear isn’t thunder; it’s hearts cracking all over the world. No. It can’t be true," Minnelli stated upon hearing of Parton's death. "This is devastating for so many reasons. I love Dolly. And she was always a truly supportive friend. We cheered each other on many times."
She expressed difficulty finding words due to her grief, quoting Haskell's statement about Parton. Haskell, who worked with Parton for 44 years, described her as "a woman of profound faith, dazzling humor, extraordinary integrity and boundless generosity."
Minnelli had previously posted a birthday tribute to Parton in January, calling her a "national treasure" and thanking her for her daily generosity. "Dolly, please know people around the world adore you. God loves you so much…and so do I! Always, Liza," she wrote.
Parton, a beloved figure in country music, is slated to have the Nashville International Airport potentially renamed in her honor. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority have stated that Parton's representatives are open to the idea. Governor Lee commented that Parton's life is "forever woven into the fabric of our state" and that it would be fitting for the airport to "bear the name of our state’s favorite daughter and greet travelers with the enduring legacy of Dolly’s music, generosity, faith, and kindness."