Lainey Wilson penned a heartfelt letter to Dolly Parton, which she shared on social media. Parton passed away on August 25, after a brief battle with cancer.
“My Dolly,” Wilson begins. “I felt like you were my friend before we even met. You made everybody feel that way. But once we became friends, boy did we have a lot to talk about… I sure am glad you called a couple of weeks ago. We got to talk about the business, the sacrifice, how special Carl Dean was to you and how important Duck is to me.”
During their phone conversation, Wilson reveals that Parton gave Wilson advice about her marriage to Devlin “Duck” Hodges, whom Wilson wed in May.
“You told me that ‘it’s all great and stuff that Duck lets you be you, but you better make sure you let Duck be himself too,'” Wilson recalls. “You also told me to take my time reading the book of Revelation and that I might need to go on back to Psalms for a minute to catch my breath. We talked about how we both feel like we were called into this business, and you told me you felt like you weren’t finished.
“Well my friend, you are not,” she continues. “The kind of love and light you shined in your lifetime is the kind that never goes away. I am thankful the Lord gave you a gift, you decided to share it, and the Lord decided to share you with us. I can’t wait to see you again, and I know when I hug your neck in heaven someday, you are still gonna be saying, ‘Don’t mess up [my] hair, Lainey girl.’ I will always love you, my friend.”
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Lainey Wilson Sings With Dolly Parton on “Light Of A Clear Blue Morning”
Earlier this year, Parton released “Light of a Clear Blue Morning,” the song that would become her final single. Wilson, who sings on the song with Reba McEntire, Miley Cyrus, and Queen Latifah, opened up about what the invitation meant to her.
“I think all of you probably know how important Dolly is to me and my journey,” Wilson said at a media event earlier this year. “And how important she is to so many people. She has definitely been somebody that I’ve looked to when I think about, can I do this? Can I not? Should I do this? Should I not? Should I say this? Should I not? She somehow always does it with grace and everything. She’s been a huge pillar for me.”
Dolly Parton’s Cause of Death Revealed
Parton had recently opened up about her health struggles, although she seemed determined to make a full recovery. Shortly after the news of her passing, a statement obtained by People confirms Parton’s cause of death.
“Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched,” the statement reads. “Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand. Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact. After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones.”