Cher Breaks Down in Tears Remembering Late Friend Dolly Parton

Cher became emotional while remembering her longtime friend Dolly Parton during an interview with CBS News on Aug. 25.

Cher, 80, said she was shocked to learn that Parton had died that day at age 80 after a brief battle with cancer. The two singers had been friends for nearly 50 years.

Cher recalled first meeting Parton at manager Sandy Gallin’s home in 1978. She immediately noticed Parton’s distinctive appearance and was intrigued by her personality. Gallin told Cher that the two women would become close friends—and he was right.

“She just had a spirit,” Cher said, describing Parton as someone who always believed things would get better. Cher said she would especially miss Parton’s laugh.

Cher also praised Parton’s ability to connect with audiences. She recalled watching Parton perform and said the country music star had a special gift for reaching people both onstage and personally.

Representatives for Parton confirmed that she died at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, surrounded by loved ones. They said she had faced a brief battle with cancer.

Parton, an 11-time Grammy winner, was also widely known for her philanthropy, including her Imagination Library program, which has provided hundreds of millions of books to children around the world.