ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — As the sun rose Wednesday, Dolly Parton fans and news media were already gathering at a fast-growing memorial on Haywood Road in West Asheville, where a mural of the country music icon has become a place for people to leave flowers, notes and other tributes.
Across the region, more tributes are being planned as fans find ways to celebrate Parton’s life and music.
The Odd in Asheville will host a wake for Parton at 7 p.m. Friday, according to a post from Asheville-based social media account Ashley’s Adventure.
Organizers are inviting the community to take part in a potluck and open mic, giving people an opportunity to share what Parton meant to them and their families.
In Black Mountain, White Horse Black Mountain is planning a free community sing-along Aug. 30 to honor Parton and celebrate her music.
The venue said it was changing its usual bingo gathering into an opportunity to remember Parton’s life, music and the joy she brought to fans.
“Come sing. Come remember. Come celebrate Dolly,” White Horse Black Mountain said in a social media post.
The local tributes come as new details emerge about Parton’s death, including the cause of death and plans for a private funeral.
Parton died Tuesday in Nashville at age 80 after a brief battle with cancer, according to a statement from a representative for her estate shared with The New York Times and People.
“After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones,” the representative said.
Parton’s family announced her death in a statement posted to her official social media accounts.
The statement described Parton as a “global icon and humanitarian” whose seven-decade career included music, songwriting, acting, philanthropy, entrepreneurship and writing.
“Dolly’s legacy is one of love, compassion, and resilience,” the statement said.
The family said Parton will be remembered for her music as well as her philanthropic work and the personal warmth that made generations of fans feel connected to her.
A private funeral
At Parton’s request, a small, private service will be held for immediate family, according to the family statement.
Fans and friends around the world are being encouraged to pay tribute to Parton on social media by tagging her official account or leaving a message on her website.
The family is asking that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, her nonprofit early-childhood literacy program.
Parton is survived by her siblings and extended family. She was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Carl Thomas Dean, who died in 2025, as well as her parents, Avie Lee Caroline Owens and Robert Lee Parton Sr.
A legacy that reached Western North Carolina
Parton’s connection to the Southern Appalachian region goes beyond her music.
Just weeks after Tropical Storm Helene devastated parts of the South in September 2024, Parton appeared at a relief event in her native Tennessee and announced a $1 million personal donation to help storm victims. Her Dollywood companies and partners matched the donation, providing additional support for Appalachian recovery.
Parton also became a prominent voice for communities affected by the disaster, using her platform to raise money and awareness for recovery efforts.
For fans in Asheville and throughout Western North Carolina, those efforts have added another dimension to a career already deeply rooted in the Appalachian identity.
Parton grew up in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee and built a career that carried Appalachian music and culture to audiences around the world.
On Wednesday, that legacy was being remembered locally at the Haywood Road mural, where fans continued to gather to pay their respects.