Dolly Parton’s Niece Says Her Death Was “A Shock” To Their Family
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Fans knew that Dolly Parton had been dealing with some health issues over the past year. But the full picture wasn’t made clear until after her death on August 25, when her team shared that she had briefly battled cancer.
During a recent interview with Extra, Dolly’s niece, Jada Star, explained why the country music legend chose to keep the extent of her health issues “real private.” Jada said, “She never wanted to worry anybody.”
Although Dolly’s family knew she was going through a lot health-wise, her passing still caught them off guard. Jada said, “I think it was just a shock on Tuesday.”
Sharing her personal feelings about Dolly’s death, Jada said:
“I can’t remember a life without her. She would also tell us to start drying it up, and start trying to get back to work, and love each other real hard. She was just a trip.”
Later in the interview, Jada got choked up as she shared one thing she would tell Dolly if she had the chance. “I think I would just say thank you so much, and I love you so much, and I know you’re okay,” she said.
Hear more from Jada by watching her interview with Extra in the video below.
Dolly Parton’s Niece Jada Star Honored Her At The Grand Ole Opry
Jada also told Extra that seeing all of the beautiful tributes to Dolly has helped their family in the midst of this devastating time. Jada herself participated in one of those tributes.
It’s customary for the Grand Ole Opry to honor one of its members at its first Saturday night show after their death. So on August 29, the Opry dedicated their show to Dolly. The night ended with a large group of members uniting onstage to sing “9 to 5” before turning around to watch a video of Dolly performing “I Will Always Love You.”
Jada appeared onstage to deliver an emotional speech at one point in the show, telling the crowd:
“I think that the weight of grief is lighter when we can bear it together, isn’t it?”
She continued to say, “You guys have helped us bear ours. We hope so much to help you bear yours.”
From there, Jada performed the song “The Orchard,” which she recorded with her Aunt Dolly. It was featured on her final album, Smoky Mountain DNA, in 2024. The album was a collaborative effort between Dolly and many of her family members, featuring both new and archival recordings.
Watch Jada Star speak at the Opry in the video below. Our hearts and prayers go out to her and all of Dolly’s loved ones…
