Following her recent passing, what better tribute than to address just a shortlist of some of the incredible artists that followed her blueprint.

Miley Cyrus

An artist with the most obvious inspiration from Parton is her goddaughter, Miley Cyrus. 

Parton had been renowned for her friendship with Billy Ray Cyrus and, in result, she had known Miley throughout her whole life. The pair had collaborated various times throughout their careers, including a new version of Cyrus’s hit ‘Wrecking Ball’ in 2023 and, more recently, Parton’s 2026 reworking of ‘Light of a Clear Blue Morning’. 

Parton was a maternal figure throughout Cyrus’ life, with fans watching them grow together from Parton’s guest appearances in Hannah Montana to recent musical collaborations.

Shania Twain

Legendary country-pop singer Shania Twain has heavily credited Parton as one of her musical heroes, who inspired her to experiment with her music. 

In 2003, the pair performed a duet of Parton’s 1971 song ‘Coat of Many Colors’ on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Twain has credited Parton for her vital influence and empowerment of women in the music industry, with her paving the way for many female singers in today’s industry.

Brandi Carlile

Breaking through in the mid-2000s, Brandi Carlile made a huge impact on the country and Americana genres by expanding space for queer storytelling. 

She has credited Parton frequently as an inspiration and has performed musical tributes of her classic hits, particularly ‘Coat of Many Colors’. They had a mutual respect for one another through the crossing of their careers, with them sharing stage appearances at events including the Newport Folk Festival in 2019.

Carrie Underwood

Country music legend, Carrie Underwood, is another singer that praised Parton’s impact on the industry. 

Famous for hits including ‘Before He Cheats’, Underwood was a pivotal feminine voice for the country genre in the early 2000s. In 2009, the pair collaborated on a performance of Parton’s ‘I Will Always Love You’ for Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special.

Taylor Swift

Though now a major figure in the pop industry, Taylor Swift began as a country artist through her self-titled debut album and her feature in Hannah Montana: The Movie. 

Throughout her career, Swift has praised Parton’s influence on women in music, describing her as a “force of evolution and transformation” and recognising the paths she helped open for younger female artists. Though the pair never collaborated musically, their mutual respect was clear, with Parton thanking Swift and Travis Kelce earlier this year for their $2 million donation to her childhood literacy programme, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

Sabrina Carpenter 

In 2025, Sabrina Carpenter featured Parton on a reworking of her hit ‘Please, Please, Please’ for the deluxe edition of her album ‘Short n’ Sweet’. Previous to their collaboration, Carpenter had covered Parton’s beloved ‘9 to 5’ during her tour, showing her appreciation for her classic hits.

Despite only working together for a short time, Carpenter stated that she was “an angel walking the earth” on a tribute following her passing. 

Following Parton’s passing, it was evident that this is only an extremely shortened list of those whose lives she touched. As well as her undoubted talent, her kindness and authenticity was what kept her consistent influence over many artists that have followed her blueprint. 

Ella Clarke

@ellaclarkexo

Image: ‘Here You Come Again’ Official Album Cover