Days after Dolly Parton's death, the singer's creative director, Steve Summers, is opening up about his first impression of her when he was just 10 years old.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleDolly Parton’s death on August 25, 2026, has left a hole in the hearts of her fans and all those who were close to her. For those unaware, the legendary singer was 80 years old at the time of her death. The tragic news of her passing was shared by her nephew and longtime head of security, Brian Seaver, via a video on Instagram.
Dolly was laid to rest in a private funeral service attended by her immediate family on August 28, 2026. Now, while remembering the Jolene singer, Dolly’s creative director, Steve Summers, opened up about what she really was like during their 35-year friendship.
Dolly Parton's longtime creative director Steve Summers was only 10 years old when he first came across Dolly Parton thanks to the vinyl record covers that his grandfather had put up all over his walls. This was back in the summer of 1974, a time when the singer's hair and clothes had left Steve completely ‘fascinated.’ As a ‘little gay boy,’ looking at her pictures made it clear to him how comfortable Dolly was with herself. In his words:
“I can remember being fascinated by her. And as a little gay boy, looking at the pictures and the hair and the clothes and the outfits, the absolute comfort she clearly had with herself. Now I didn’t know how to articulate that at 10, but I knew that this was somebody who was very solid in themselves.”
Now that Steve is 62 years old, he has not yet forgotten the admiration he had for the late singer's visible confidence. According to Steve, Dolly knew how to put a song together and how to weave a story. His fascination with her while growing up eventually landed him on a career path that led him to become a trusted member of Dolly’s inner circle.
Steve got his start at Dollywood in the early '90s as a singer and dancer. In the decades following that, Steve got the opportunity to work more closely with Dolly while designing hundreds of looks for her each year until she passed away. Reflecting on Dolly’s death, he said:
“Her death is a fascinating juxtaposition between pain and joy. It hurts. I lost my friend. I lost my coworker. I lost my mentor. I lost my muse. All of those things were wrapped into one human. And so that is bad.”
Steve Summers reportedly met Dolly Parton for the first time in 1991 at a Christmas festival. At that time, the singer was looking for someone to help make sure that she did not fall while delivering a speech on top of a 6-foot drum. Steve, who was 26 years old at that time, became the perfect man for the job because of his height. Speaking about that day, Steve said:
“I can remember her talking to me as we were walking up there. She just kept looking at me, you know, ‘You’re not gonna let me fall, are you?’ And I remember thinking for the rest of my career, ‘I will not let you fall. No matter what it is, I will not let you fall.’ I have spent my entire adult life making sure that she always felt supported.”
Dolly Parton passed away on August 25, 2026, after a brief battle with cancer. She was laid to rest beside her beloved husband, Carl Dean, to whom she was married for nearly 60 years. According to reports, Dolly was buried in a cotton dress and her signature stilettos, just as she had wished.
What are your thoughts on Steve Summers’ revelations about Dolly Parton?
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