Country music legend Dolly Parton, who died Tuesday at 80, consistently avoided partisan politics throughout her decades-long career, stating her primary role was that of an entertainer.
Parton told USA Today in 2020 that she was "not political" and refused to become involved in political matters. She explained that her broad fanbase included both Republicans and Democrats, and she did not want to alienate anyone. "I have a right to myself," she stated. She believed in free speech but emphasized the importance of being responsible for one's words and actions.
During a 2018 interview with ABC News, Parton was pressed about then-President Donald Trump. When asked about a potential parallel between Trump and the antagonist in her film "9 to 5," she declined to comment, stating, "I'm not addressing that." She added, "I learned a long time ago, keep your damn mouth shut if you want to stay in show business... I'm not in politics, I'm an entertainer."
Parton's commitment to neutrality extended to declining the Presidential Medal of Freedom on two occasions. The Trump administration offered her the honor, but she declined the first time due to her husband's illness and the second time because of concerns about traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the BBC. She later revealed that the Biden administration also approached her about the award, but she felt accepting it then might be perceived as a political endorsement.
While Parton maintained a general aversion to political endorsements, she did not shy away from her core beliefs. She told People in 2021 that she had opinions but considered herself not an "opinionated person as a rule." She believed in using her platform carefully, stating, "Of course I have my opinion, but I’m not an opinionated person as a rule. You’re allowed your own beliefs and your own faith, but you don’t have to use it like a weapon when it could be a tool."
Parton famously quipped about her family's differing political leanings: "My daddy was a Republican, my mama was a Democrat, and I'm a hypocrite!" pronounced with her characteristic Tennessee drawl.
Her philosophy was tested again when she collaborated with the conservative musician Kid Rock on her 2023 album "Rockstar." Parton defended the collaboration, telling The Hollywood Reporter that she had recorded the song before a controversy involving Kid Rock. She expressed a belief in accepting people, stating, "Hey, just because I love you don’t mean I don’t love Kid Rock. Just because I love Kid Rock don’t mean I don’t love you. I don’t condemn or criticize. I just accept and love."
Parton linked this approach to her Christian faith, advocating for forgiveness and second chances. She stated, "I ask God every day to let Him shine through me. He’s given me that gift to be able to talk to them, and I’m very careful with it. And people don’t really come to see me be me — they come to see me be them, the parts of me they can relate to."
During the 2016 presidential campaign, Parton clarified that she had not endorsed Hillary Clinton after some comments were interpreted as such. When later asked about the race between Clinton and Trump, she humorously described it as "the greatest show on television" and referred to both candidates as "nuts."
Parton also dismissed any notion of running for president herself. In a 2023 interview, she stated, "No. I don’t think anybody could actually do a great job at that. I think we’ve got enough ‘boobs’ in the White House."
She expressed that her preferred way to make a difference was through her music and how she treated others. "I’m not smart enough to be in politics, or maybe I’m too smart," she said. "Either way, I’m not qualified for that type of a job. But I’m pretty qualified to do what I do, which is to point people in the right direction, to write about it in songs or speak about things."
Parton's representatives stated that she died after a "brief battle with cancer." A private service was planned for her immediate family, with a request for donations to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in lieu of flowers.