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Dolly Parton, secular saint

The iconic singer and philanthropist was America’s last great unifying celebrity.

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You’ve probably read a lot about Dolly Parton over the last 24 hours: her songwriting genius, her generosity, her incredible hair. The country icon and philanthropist died Tuesday at age 80 after having cancer. Her hits have been playing in my head ever since.

Parton’s influence extended far beyond her music, though. She was also a singular, centripetal force in American culture — a rare, unifying icon beloved on both the right and the left.

A daily, curiosity-driven guide to the big, weird, and fascinating ideas shaping the news cycle.

Her ability to project radical kindness without sounding naïve, and to address moral questions without looking partisan, inspired near-universal adoration at a time........

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