A grainy black-and-white photograph carried Goldie Hawn back more than five decades, to the first day she met Dolly Parton. The two young stars are pictured smiling together, years before their names became permanently woven into American pop culture.
The image became Hawn’s farewell to a woman she remembered as radiant long before the world fully understood the size of her talent and influence. Their connection later reached the recording studio when Hawn covered Parton’s “My Blue Tears” for her 1972 album, Goldie. The Oscar-winning actress shared the photograph on Instagram on Tuesday, August 25, after the announcement that Parton died at 80.
What Did Goldie Hawn Say About Dolly Parton?
“This was the first day I met Dolly. She was a ray of light!” Hawn wrote beside the photograph of the two young stars smiling together.
“Even then, she was lit up like an angel, a joyful, celestial being.”
Hawn said Parton’s music, character and faith would continue reaching people far beyond her lifetime. “Dolly blessed us all for generations to come. Rest, dear Angel, and, as you said, keep the angels creating music and singing in the heavens,” she concluded. The photograph does not include a date, but it captures both women near the beginning of careers that would eventually span music, film and television.
How Did Goldie Hawn and Dolly Parton First Connect?
Hawn was already known for Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In and had won an Academy Award for her performance in Cactus Flower when she made an unexpected move into country music. That project brought her into Parton’s creative orbit.
According to Rolling Stone, Hawn released her only studio album, Goldie, in 1972. The record included her version of “My Blue Tears,” which Parton had recorded for her acclaimed 1971 album, Coat of Many Colors.
Hawn contacted Parton to ask permission to record the song. Parton and her longtime collaborator Porter Wagoner later received arranging credits on Hawn’s recording, according to AllMusic.
What Did Dolly Parton Mean to Goldie Hawn?
Hawn’s tribute reflects a connection that went beyond their shared work. She remembered Parton for the warmth she brought into a room, a quality fellow entertainers repeatedly cited after the singer’s death.
The Private Benjamin star’s description of Parton as a “ray of light” echoed tributes from across Hollywood and Nashville. Kelly Clarkson, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton and Miley Cyrus were among those honoring Parton’s generosity, humor and faith.
How Was Dolly Parton’s Death Announced?
Parton’s nephew and longtime head of security, Bryan Seaver, announced her death through her official Instagram account.
Her cause of death had not been publicly disclosed as of Tuesday evening. The 11-time Grammy winner leaves behind songs including “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You” and “9 to 5,” along with film performances in 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias.
For Hawn, however, the memory began before those achievements had become cultural landmarks. Her photograph preserves the moment she first encountered the woman behind them, already glowing with the spirit millions would come to love.
