Dolly Parton Dies at 80 ..

Dolly Parton, one of the most singular and beloved figures in American entertainment, has died at 80 in Nashville. Few entertainers have left such an indelible mark across both music and film.

A country music titan, Parton was also a surprisingly formidable movie star, lighting up films including “9 to 5,” “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” “Rhinestone,” “Steel Magnolias,” and “Straight Talk.” She had the rare ability to walk into a movie alongside bigger stars and still command the screen.

Parton earned a Golden Globe nomination for “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.” Her song “I Will Always Love You,” which she wrote in 1973, became a cultural phenomenon all over again when Whitney Houston recorded it for “The Bodyguard.”

Born in rural Tennessee as one of 12 children, Parton began performing professionally as a child before moving to Nashville and signing her first record deal in 1965. Her breakthrough came on “The Porter Wagoner Show,” but she quickly outgrew the role of country sidekick, becoming a superstar in her own right with songs including “Jolene,” “Joshua,” and “Coat of Many Colors.” Then came “9 to 5” in 1980.

Parton proved she could make the jump to Hollywood without losing any of the charm or larger-than-life personality that made her a star in the first place. “9 to 5” was the perfect vehicle for her, pairing her with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin and giving Parton another enormous hit with the film’s title song. She followed it with “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” where her chemistry with Burt Reynolds was impossible to ignore, and “Rhinestone,” an oddball pairing with Sylvester Stallone that works largely because Parton makes the whole thing feel effortless.

And then there was “Steel Magnolias,” where Parton found herself surrounded by an extraordinary ensemble that included Julia Roberts, Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, and Daryl Hannah. She was never the most conventional movie star, nor did she need to be.

You’re going to read plenty of obits today singling Parton out as the singer of “Jolene,” and yes, that great song will forever cement her legend. But beyond the music, she also had an unmistakable screen presence that was funny, mischievous, and completely her own. Whether on a country stage or in a Hollywood comedy, you always knew when Dolly Parton was in the room.