Dolly Parton’s sister, Stella Parton, says she has not received a single personal message of condolence from anyone in the entertainment industry since the country music icon died two weeks ago.
Stella, 77, made the comments during an interview with CBS Mornings that aired Thursday, saying the lack of personal outreach has stood out to her as tributes to Dolly have poured in from around the world.
“I haven’t had one condolence from anyone, anybody that I know, entertainers that I know,” Stella said. “Nobody. Not one.”
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Dolly Parton died on Aug. 25 at age 80 after battling cancer, a serious illness that Stella said was kept private from much of their family. Her death led to an outpouring of public tributes, with the Grand Ole Opry, Buckingham Palace and stars including Julia Roberts honoring the legendary singer and songwriter.
Stella, however, said those public tributes have not been matched by personal messages to her.
The Nashville-based musician suggested that her own political activism could be one reason some people in the entertainment world have chosen not to contact her. Just days before Dolly’s death, Stella shared a social media post opposing President Donald Trump.
Dolly was known for taking a very different approach to politics. Throughout her career, she largely avoided publicly sharing her political views, something Stella described as part of her sister’s approach to her career and business.
When CBS Mornings host Gayle King asked whether the sisters shared the same political views, Stella did not answer.
Dolly had previously explained why she preferred to stay away from political debates. In a 2017 interview, she said she did not voice her political opinions because she saw her role as entertaining people. Two years later, she also said she had both Republican and Democratic friends and preferred to keep her political opinions private.
Stella also confirmed that Dolly had kept the seriousness of her illness from many members of the family before her death.
While Dolly’s passing has brought an enormous public response from fans, fellow artists and major institutions, Stella’s comments show that the private experience of grieving her sister has been much quieter for her.