Garth Brooks’ daughter has sparked controversy with her tribute post to the Queen of Country, Dolly Parton.
Parton’s death at 80 was announced by her nephew, Bryan Seaver, in an Instagram video posted Tuesday afternoon. The musician’s publicist later confirmed Parton died after a “brief battle with cancer.”
Country singer Garth’s daughter, Allie Colleen Brooks — also a singer and musician — shared an Instagram tribute to Parton, writing: “My greatest fear in this life is the day my Dad loses his life and I have to see the world mourn a man they never knew the way I knew him.
“... To the personal family and friends of Mrs. Dolly you have all my love and condolences today and forever going forward — What a huge, beautiful, special life to have loved and to grieve ... Thank you for sharing her with us all,” she wrote.
She added in the caption: “What a beautiful privilege it is to mourn.. to grieve is to know you loved deeply and fully. To the woman we all love, and all those who grieve for her— I love you all. Please respect the family and her personal friends.”
Allie appeared to be calling out the difference between public and private grief, especially as family members mourn celebrities. However, not everyone took her tribute that way.
“Allie, just a note. Next time, let someone read your work before you publish it. I know what you meant, however now was not the time to say it,” one person commented, while someone else wrote, “So you fear that people will do the same thing you’re doing right now? Talking about yourself in such moment is so weird and self-centred.”
Another added: “You haven’t lost your Daddy, he’s alive and well. You can go wrap your arms around him and tell him you love him. But I do want to applaud you for making, what I’m guessing, was supposed to be a tribute to a Beautiful and Wonderful Lady, Ms. Dolly Parton, all about you!”
Someone else wrote: “Maybe I’m confused? How is this a good way of putting it? No one is allowed to be sad except the family? That’s wild.” Allie replied: “This is my account— I am saying I don’t know how to respond to these things in my industry because of my life experiences. I’m not telling anyone else how to grieve. I’m just acknowledging the family. You do you babe.”
Others were more sympathetic toward Allie as she grappled with the thought of how she might one day mourn her own famous parent.
“We will mourn the loss, never in the way you will. Just know that all of us may have gone through that before and we will understand your pain,” one fan commented.
Allie responded, “I don’t think you will.. I would never relate to you losing your father – I don’t know how you would relate to mine. Kind of exactly what I am talking about.”
However, other offspring of celebrities were quick to come to Allie’s defense.
“I’m more of an avoidant when it comes to fears like this. But that is very very scary and real for my sisters and I. Thank you for explaining it better than I could,” wrote Mackenzie Lynn Adkins, the daughter of singer Trace Adkins and Rhonda Forlow.
Allie replied: “I know you understand babe ... should the day come— we’ll get through it.”
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