Dolly Parton, widely regarded as a defining figure in country music, died on August 25, 2026, at the age of 80.
In the days since, tributes have poured in from across the music world and beyond, as fans and scholars alike reflect on a career spanning more than five decades.
Christopher Campo-Bowen, an associate professor of musicology at Virginia Tech, appeared on WSLS 10’s morning show on August 29 to discuss what set Parton apart and why her appeal reached so far beyond the genre’s traditional audience.
A Trailblazer for Women in the Music Industry
Speaking with WSLS 10, Campo-Bowen described Parton as one of the most consequential figures in modern popular music…