Eminem paid a special tribute to the late Dolly Parton by revealing a private message the country music legend sent to him.
The rapper, 53, joined in the outpouring of love and grief after Parton died on Tuesday morning at age 80.
He posted the letter Parton sent him emblazoned with her pink signature on Instagram. Parton shared the message to commemorate Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
“I’m sorry we never got a chance to meet,” Eminem wrote in the caption, “But getting this note from Dolly really had an impact on me. She definitely didn’t have to take the time to do it.”
“Even for a kid who mostly listened to rap music, she was an icon. A superstar in every sense. Rest easy Dolly. And thank you for the kind words,” he added.
In the letter, Parton told the artist that while she doesn’t “know a lot about rap music, I’ve come to know that you are the very best at it.”
She said she feels an “unexplained connection” to him.
“I had hoped to meet you at the show but you know how nuts those things are, personally I hate ’em and I missed my chance but maybe someday we’ll meet,” wrote the music legend. “In the meantime, keep doing what you’re doing because you do it so well and no matter how complex your world may be just know you are very special and touch people in ways you don’t even know. With love & respect, Dolly Parton.”
The same year Eminem was inducted, Parton was in the running. At first, she asked that her nomination be withdrawn. “Even though I am extremely flattered to be nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I don’t feel that I have earned that right. I really do not want the votes split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out,” she said in a statement at the time, believing that the induction ceremony was for rock artists.
However, she later reversed her stance. “I guess they judge it on the music and the influence certain songs have had, and I guess I’ve had songs with other people in that realm,” she told Billboard.
She was, in fact, inducted in 2022, taking the stage by saying, “I’m a rock star now!” The star said she was “so honored and so proud” to receive the honor.
Eminem’s tribute follows several others, including Cher, the Royal Family, the president and his daughter, and other global figures.
Parton is near unparalleled in her influence on country music and the cultural landscape. As a singer and an actress, she has won eleven Grammy Awards, three Emmys, and six Golden Globes. She was also nominated for two Academy Awards.
The Daily Beast’s Kevin Fallon honored Parton, calling her “the vibrant, beating heart of our culture”: “The singer. The songwriter. The actress. The humanitarian. The businesswoman. The natural comedienne. The universally adored entertainer.”
The music legend and philanthropist died after a short battle with cancer, her representative confirmed.
“Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched. Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand,” a statement from her representative read.
Parton’s nephew and head of security, Bryan Seaver, announced that the singer died “peacefully.” He said his aunt “opened doors for generations of singers, songwriters, musicians and dreamers from every walk of life, and across every continent.”
“By her example, we believed that anything was possible. She never saw a door she couldn’t open, and the doors she opened made and changed history.”
