Empire State Building lights sparkle pink for Dolly Parton
The Empire State Building lights shone in a pink sparkle Tuesday night to honor Dolly Parton after the country music icon died at 80 following a brief, secret cancer battle. Officials timed the tribute for 9:25 p.m., nodding to her hit film and song "9 to 5," as tributes poured in from co-stars and fans.
Key Takeaways
- The Empire State Building lights glowed in "pink sparkle" at 9:25 p.m. Tuesday to honor Dolly Parton.
- Parton died at 80 after a secret and brief cancer battle, her representatives confirmed.
- The landmark's Instagram cited her seven-decade career and Imagination Library philanthropy.
- Co-stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin were among those sharing public tributes.
- Her funeral will be a small, private service for immediate family, per her request.
Why did the Empire State Building lights turn pink?
Shortly after news of Parton's death broke Tuesday, the Empire State Building's official Instagram account announced it would light the tower in "pink sparkle" that night.
"Dolly was a global cultural icon whose seven-decade career reached generations of fans," the message said. Beyond entertainment, it noted her philanthropic legacy through the Dollywood Foundation and Imagination Library, which has provided hundreds of millions of books to children worldwide.
Parton often wore pink in interviews and on stage, a signature look the tribute reflected. For more celebrity breaking news, follow BlasterPost's ongoing coverage.
What does the 9:25 p.m. timing mean?
The building lit up at 9:25 p.m., a deliberate nod to Parton's 1980 workplace comedy "9 to 5" and the hit song of the same name.
"At Nine-Two-Five tonight, we celebrate Dolly and her legacy," the landmark's account wrote. When the clock struck, it shared a photo of the glowing tower to Instagram Stories.
The timed lights turned a familiar New York landmark ritual into an immediate public memorial for the singer.
How have stars and family responded to Dolly Parton's death?
Tributes have poured in from music icons including Beyoncé and Willie Nelson, plus her "9 to 5" co-stars Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda.
"No words…," Tomlin posted on Instagram with a happy photo of the pair from the 1980 New York premiere at the Sutton Theater. Fonda said she was "devastated," writing that Parton was "simultaneously a naughty, playful southern gal from the hollows of Tennessee and a deep, soulful thinker."
Parton's publicity team told Page Six that, at her request, her funeral will be "a small, private service for immediate family." TMZ reported she will be laid to rest beside her late husband, Carl Dean, at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville.
In a video announcing her death, nephew and head of security Bryan Seaver said Parton "has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus," adding she was surely met by Carl, her parents, and others who longed for her in heaven.