Dolly Parton’s grieving younger sister has shared an emotional message following the death of the beloved country music icon, revealing the deeply personal bond they shared away from the spotlight.
Freida Parton, 69, spoke out Saturday as the family continues to mourn Dolly, who died last week at age 80 following a brief battle with cancer.
While millions knew Dolly as the rhinestone-covered superstar behind some of country music’s biggest hits, Freida said she knew a very different side of her famous sister.
“To the entire world, she was a superstar, but to me, she was my Dolly Momma,” Freida wrote in a touching Facebook tribute.
Freida recalled Dolly climbing into bed with her when they were children because they were both afraid of the dark.
But Dolly became much more than a big sister.
According to Freida, Dolly stepped in as a mother figure and helped raise her from the ages of 13 to 18.
She also remembered Dolly’s playful side, including her attempts to convince Freida to wear one of her famous wigs while performing at Dollywood.
Freida admitted the sisters did not always see eye-to-eye and had plenty of disagreements over the years.
Still, she said nothing ever changed the love she had for Dolly.
“Even through all the highs and lows, and all the laughter and tears, I never stopped loving her,” she wrote.
Freida then made an emotional plea to Dolly’s millions of fans.
Months earlier, she had asked the public to pray for her sister. Now, she asked them to pray for the entire Parton family as they struggle to cope with what she called an “insurmountable loss.”
“There will never be anyone who can replace her in our hearts,” Freida wrote, acknowledging that Dolly also held a special place in the hearts of fans around the world.
Despite her grief, Freida said she believes Dolly would want her to continue living with the same joy and love the singer gave to others throughout her life.
She also revealed she is working on “something very special” in Dolly’s honor, describing the project as a way to keep a piece of her “Dolly Momma” close while sharing it with the fans who loved her.
Dolly was one of 12 children born into the Parton family and rose from humble beginnings in rural Tennessee to become one of the most recognizable entertainers in the world.
Her representatives and family announced her death Tuesday in a statement celebrating what they called a “rhinestone life” that shone brightly for generations.
The family remembered Dolly not only for her legendary music and songwriting, but also for her humor, kindness and ability to make people feel like family.
Dolly’s nephew Bryan Seaver later revealed what he said was one of the singer’s final wishes.
According to Seaver, Dolly told him she wanted to be laid to rest surrounded by soft cotton after spending so much of her life wearing heavy rhinestone costumes.
She wanted, he said, to finally be comfortable and rest.
Another sister, Stella Parton, 77, also shared an emotional tribute following Dolly’s death.
“My big sister Dolly got her wings this past Tuesday,” Stella wrote on Facebook, adding that she imagined Dolly arriving in heaven in full sparkle and shine.
“That was my sister’s way,” she said.
The tributes continued Saturday at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, where Freida’s daughter, Jada Star, honored her famous aunt onstage.
Jada performed “The Orchard,” a song she had previously performed with Dolly in 2024.
Before taking the stage, Jada admitted she was still overwhelmed by grief.
She said she had been walking around in a “fog of sadness” since Dolly’s death and described performing in her aunt’s honor as an incredible responsibility.
For the Parton family, Dolly may have been one of the biggest stars America has ever produced.
But Freida’s heartbreaking message made clear that behind the wigs, rhinestones and legendary songs was something far more personal.
She was simply their sister.
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