After yesterday's news that Dolly Parton passed away at the age of 80, I think a lot of people are coming out of the woodwork and claiming to be fans. I won't be one of them. I never cared much for her music — classic country just isn't my jam, and I can only be honest about music and what it means to me.

That being said, even as one who is not religious, I don't think it's up for debate that Dolly Parton lived the life of a saint. I'm not saying she didn't make mistakes (though I do not know of any), I'm just saying, that like Fred Rogers and others like that, she was more of a net positive on the world and left it better than she found it. So that alone is worth a tribute in a music comm. I would welcome others to comment or post the songs by her that they enjoyed if they wish to do so, but I'm not a fan. Just my personal opinion. I just like other types of music.

As far as the deep stories... I don't really have any personal experiences here. What I do know is that she was Miley Cyrus's godmother, and the two of them have performed together, and that was probably awesome for both of them. I'm sure, as a world renowned musician, she had an appreciation for music outside of her genre. I also know she had a book club, where if your child requested books and, I think you had to make under a certain amount a year, and live in the United States, and I think it was only certain states... her organisation would send your child a book once a year, or something like that. I saw it posted about. Never looked into it.

I also know that Dolly Parton was nominated for the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. She politely declined the nomination because the RnRHoF has shunned many popular bands for some reason or another, and because she has never been a rock musician. They ignored her decline and inducted her anyway. So, she made a rock album. It's mostly covers. They're mostly decent. Literally no one asked for a Dolly Parton rock album, and yet it exists.

I'm here for the song she wrote for Whitney Houston, that was featured in her film The Bodyguard, which I watched because Kevin Costner was in it, and because he was awesome in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Field of Dreams, and Dances With Wolves. I bought that soundtrack — it was my first or second compact disc album, the other being Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell — and listened to it religiously. I later found out that Dolly Parton wrote the first song on it. So, respect for that. And for a life well lived. But I'm not gonna lie to you and say I always was a fan of her music. I wasn't. Still, rest in peace.