Stella Parton Reveals Why Dolly Kept Her Cancer Diagnosis Private: 'She Did Not Want People Sad'

Dolly Parton’s sister Stella has opened up for the first time since the country legend’s passing, telling Gayle King that only a small circle of close family members knew about Dolly’s cancer diagnosis. Dolly died on August 25 after a brief battle with the disease, and her cause of death was revealed days later. According to Stella, her sister chose to keep the news private for one simple reason: she did not want people sad.

The family laid Dolly to rest in a private ceremony at Nashville’s Woodlawn Memorial Park. But they are not asking fans to grieve in silence. The estate has announced DollyFest, a two-day celebration set for Nashville and London, described as the party of a lifetime she wanted to share with the world. Tributes have poured in from artists across every genre, including Kacey Musgraves, Jack White and Orville Peck.

Dolly spent six decades giving us her songs, her humor and her generosity, from the Imagination Library to every stage she ever walked. Learning that she spent her final months shielding us from heartache fits the woman we all loved. So we want to hear from you: what is the Dolly song you’ll always come back to, and who does it make you think of?