Dolly Parton was a country music icon to millions, but Cyndi Lauper saw something more in her.
For the Grammy-winning singer behind “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and “Time After Time,” Dolly’s life became a kind of compass, summed up by one question she often asked herself.
I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve thought to myself, ‘What would Dolly do?’
In paying tribute, Lauper celebrated Dolly’s extraordinary talent, but she also admired what the singer did with her success.
Dolly’s heart was as big as her talent. She was not only a great singer/song writer/actress/TV star, Dolly also lived her art.
Throughout her career, Dolly used her fame and resources to support causes close to her heart, including her Imagination Library, which has provided books to children around the world.
To Lauper, those actions made Dolly more than an entertainer.
She was a great role model for all of us.
But Dolly’s death has now forced Lauper to face a world without the woman whose example had guided her for so long.
It’s hard for me to imagine the world without Dolly.
Dolly Parton died on August 25, 2026, at the age of 80.
Yet Lauper’s old question still lingers: “What would Dolly do?” The answer lives in the example she gave through her music, generosity and the life she chose to lead.