Madison, WI – On August 25, 2026, country music legend, actress, businesswoman and philanthropist Dolly Parton passed away following a brief battle with cancer. Representative Shelia Stubbs (D-Madison) released the following statement:
 
“Yesterday, the world lost one of the most successful, monumental country music artists of all time with the passing of Ms. Dolly Parton. My heart and my prayers are with her family, friends, and all who loved her in their time of grief.
 
Born the fourth of 12 children in rural East Tennessee, Ms. Parton entered the country music scene in 1967. She would go on to release 49 studio albums, sell over 100 million records, win 10 Grammy Awards, and receive 55 additional Grammy Award nominations.
 
I had the privilege of being present in the audience when Ms. Parton was the Keynote Speaker at the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) 2019 Annual Summit in Nashville, Tennessee. It was an honor to hear Ms. Parton speak about her legacy and her passion for childhood literacy. She also performed two of her most uplifting and inspirational songs, ‘Coat of Many Colors’ and ‘Try,” and I was so deeply moved in that moment by her resounding message of self-confidence and perseverance.
 
Ms. Parton was not just a groundbreaking musician, actress, and businesswoman—she was also an incredibly generous philanthropist. On May 19, 2025, I had the privilege of touring Madison Reading Project, a nonprofit organization that connects families across Dane and Sauk counties with free books and literacy enrichment, with Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez at their previous location in my district. On that tour, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Madison Reading Project’s partnership with Imagination Library, a monthly book-gifting program that Ms. Parton created in 1995. Since its launch, the Imagination Library has provided over 300 million free books to children in the United States and internationally, regardless of family income. Madison Reading Project is the official Imagination Library Literacy Champion for all residents of Dane and Sauk counties. 
 
Beyond being a champion for childhood literacy, Ms. Parton invested substantially in other philanthropic causes. She began the Buddy Program in Sevier County, Tennessee, where she grew up, which drastically reduced high school dropout rates. She also raised funds and participated in campaigns for AIDS awareness and research, invested the royalties from Whitney Houston’s cover of her song ‘I Will Always Love You’ into an office and business complex in a Black neighborhood in Nashville, created a Bald eagle sanctuary, gave substantial charitable donations to research efforts for COVID-19 and pediatric infectious diseases, and contributed considerate amounts to natural disaster relief following Hurricane Helene and wildfires that devastated East Tennessee.
 
Ms. Parton’s legacy as a performer, entrepreneur, and dedicated patron of child wellbeing will endure for generations, as will her memory as a deeply gracious, humble, compassionate person. She will be greatly missed.”