Dolly Parton’s death at 80 created an unprecedented moment of shared grief on Tuesday, with tributes crossing genres, generations, and political lines. Radio stations became a public hub for that widespread mourning, honoring an artist beloved the world over.
As word of Parton’s passing, confirmed by her family, spread through social media, Nashville’s WSM-AM began airing tribute programming all day, including an archival interview Parton had done with the late Bill Cody. Smaller stations reported similarly quick turnarounds. Wolf Creek Radio Broadcasting in Laramie, WY, aired a Parton tribute within 20 minutes of the news, with a rotation of her songs playing every two to three hours alongside a fuller tribute at the top of each hour.
At Hubbard Radio in the Twin Cities, Regional Manager Dan Seeman noted that myTalk 107.1 (KTMY) “seized the moment immediately” with a tribute billboard displayed across the metro, with a second up Wednesday morning as the station airs conversations from its hosts about Parton, along with Dolly-themed bumper music and sweepers. The station is also raising money for Parton’s Imagination Library children’s literacy program, directing donations to Bridge to Books, the Imagination Library’s local affiliate in Stillwater, MN.
Seeman said in a message to staff, “Dolly was more than a country music star or a movie star; she was a rare cultural icon, one that transcended generations and all demographics.”
There was also a considerable outpouring from industry voices on social media, with more on-air tributes expected coast to coast in the days to come.
