Dolly Parton kept cancer diagnosis from family so people wouldn’t be ‘sad’, says sister
Dolly Parton with sister Stella (Getty Images)
Stella Parton has said her sister Dolly Parton kept her cancer diagnosis private from fans and even “a lot of family” as she did not want people to be “sad”.
Speaking on CBS Mornings to Gayle King, Stella said: “She did not want people sad,” adding that Dolly “could not bear negative things”.
Stella continued: “Dolly did not want anybody to tell that because Dolly could not bear negative things. She would not have wanted her fans worried about it… She didn’t want a lot of the family worried about it. Some of us knew, the ones that were closer, but not every relative.”
The full interview is due to air on Thursday 10 September.
Dolly died in Nashville on 25 August aged 80, and her cause of death was later confirmed as a “brief battle with cancer”.
Dolly Parton’s privacy
Stella, 77, suggested the decision was rooted in Dolly’s desire to protect the people closest to her from distress as her health declined. She said Dolly did not want her fans worrying, and that the same instinct extended to relatives who were not in her immediate circle.
Stella also spoke about the comfort Dolly would have taken from the public response after her death, saying: “She’d be really happy and delighted that people have shown her so much love because she knew that that would make us feel better as her family.”
Dolly Parton’s cultural impact
Dolly Parton was one of the most influential figures in country music, known for songwriting, powerhouse vocals and a distinctive, self-aware public persona. Her signature songs include “Jolene”, “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You”, later a global hit for Whitney Houston.
Since her death, Dolly’s music has surged back up the Official Singles Chart in the UK, with “9 to 5” hitting No5, and “Jolene” one place behind it last week. “Islands In The Stream”, which also featured Kenny Rogers, entered the Top 10 too at No9.
Meanwhile, Dolly’s greatest hits album Diamonds & Rhinestones hit No5 in the Official Albums Chart.
She also starred in 1980s films including 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias.
Parton founded the Imagination Library, a major literacy initiative that has distributed millions of free books to children, and she was frequently celebrated in queer culture for her glamour, humour and camp appeal. She was also widely viewed as an LGBTQ+ ally, including supporting a trans man who worked with her for more than 30 years.
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