Dolly Parton Had Strong Feelings About Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce's 'Little Love Affair'

While the world mourns the death of beloved country icon Dolly Parton, people are also remembering her kindness and generosity, and how she always lifted others up with both her deeds and her words. Parton notably did this for fellow megastar Taylor Swift, when she gave the "Opalite" songstress' relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce her stamp of approval. During a promotional event for her jewelry line with Kendra Scott in 2024, Parton told E! News that she was thrilled with Swift's new beau, describing their romance as "great." "I'm crazy about Taylor," Parton enthused. "She's such a great artist and songwriter and then their little love affair. I'm thinking people love romance." It's no wonder Kelce turned out to be the one — he was Dolly Parton-approved!

There were many celebs we didn't expect to see at Swift and Kelce's wedding, but someone we wouldn't have been shocked to see was Parton. It's not clear whether she received an invitation or not, but she did record a video for the couple to thank them for their $2 million donation to her Imagination Library. Parton posted the clip to Instagram on the couple's wedding day, July 3, 2026. "I'm blown away and overjoyed with that gratitude," Parton said, before quipping, "Now, it's evident, that you two have made giving back a key part of your lives, so hey, when you have your firstborn, can I have it? Because that is gonna be one special baby!" She ended the video by telling the couple, "And know that I will always love you."

As Hollywood reacted to Parton's heartbreaking death, Swift offered a tribute of her own. "A world without Dolly doesn't feel possible, real, or right," she said in a statement, per People. " ... her legacy will be an everlasting one."

Dolly Parton was a legend, and Taylor Swift is turning into one. "The Life of a Showgirl" singer has made history on several occasions, and back in the early 2010s when it was becoming clear that her star power wasn't going to be just another passing fad, Parton spoke about the rising country star on a 2010 episode of "Larry King Live."

When asked what she thought of Swift, Parton replied, "I say, yay, Taylor Swift. I think she is a smart, beautiful girl. I think she's making all the right moves. She's got a good head on her shoulders," per CNN. Parton gave Swift's music her nod of approval and said that she thought Swift was handling herself spectacularly well in the glaring spotlight. "And I just admire her," Parton continued. The "Jolene" songstress also predicted that Swift wouldn't crash and burn like so many young artists for whom the fast growth and the weight of fame becomes too much. "I hope her 15 minutes of fame lasts for 40 years, and it very well might," Parton said. How right she was!

The admiration was mutual. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in 2023, Swift couldn't sing the "9 to 5" singer's praises enough. "Her sense of humor and mischief are easily my favorite things about her, because I think it forces the world to reconcile that a woman can be a serious artist and writer who also has raucous fun with it, can make people laugh and be in on every joke," the "Fearless" singer said. We suspect Swift's stunning transformation over the years might, in part, have been inspired by Parton's free-spirited nature.