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Laura Coates Live

Dolly Parton, Queen Of Country Music, Dies At 80; Darline Graham Wins South Carolina Senate Runoff; CNN Updates On Tupac Murder Trial. Aired 11p-12a ET

Aired August 25, 2026 - 23:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[23:00:00]

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LAURA COATES, CNN HOST: All right, America, time to pour myself a cup of ambition and honor the great Dolly Parton. The voice I heard driving on my way to Happy Day Childcare in the backseat of my mom's little red car. The voice I would sing along to at so many stages of my life through all kinds of emotions from nostalgia to heartbreak. There she'd come again and there I'd go.

She was American royalty. Not the kind crowned by birthright, of course, but by something much harder to earn, respect and admiration, because Dolly Parton became an American icon because she transcended generations as herself. Young, old, Black, white, Republican, Democrat, you name it, it didn't matter. Rarely has a figure in history been so universally loved.

It's why the news today hit like an earthquake for so many. Dolly Parton, dead at the age of 80. Her team tells us that she passed after a brief battle with cancer. The president honored her with flags flying half-staff. The Empire State Building lit up in Dolly Parton pink. Fans flocked to her Hollywood star, all in honor of that singular, larger than life voice.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

The sound, the hair, the rhinestones, the spirit, the denim. She spent decades making sure you could not ignore her. And then spent a lifetime making sure the attention wasn't really on her. Devoting her time and her money to charities and causes, big and small. A product of the rags-to-riches tale that she embodied. Born, as she would say, dirt poor as one of 12 in a single-bedroom cabin in Tennessee.

She didn't run from it. She didn't hide from her past. She showcased it as she should with the kind of unapologetic pride in it that only people who understand what really matters in life could relate to. She was small, she was mighty, and she was armed with guts and talent. And she defied the odds. She broke ground for women in music.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOLLY PARTON, MUSICIAN: Well, I think it's wonderful to have ambition. You got to get out and work, too. I mean, a lot of women can kind of hide behind a lot of stuff and just use the excuse that I didn't make it because I was a girl. Well, you can make it if you'll get out and be willing to sacrifice and work for it. Ain't no man going to stop you if you've got the talent. You might have to work a little harder in your area, but it can be done. And I am a prime example.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: Eleven Grammys, an Emmy, all the Hall of Fames you can think of. It was because her songs reflected life back in the United States. Those lines, here you come again, just when I'm about to make it work without you, they just use your mind and they never give you credit, it's enough to drive you, finish it with me, crazy if you let it, simple turns of phrases that we all knew, that carried our own storylines, songs about joy and pain and love and frustration and, yes, jealousy.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

Another song on the B-side of the Jolene album was a hit in its own right, but it became much more when she happily let Whitney Houston make it her own.

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PARTON: One day, I was riding along in the car and had just turned the radio on, and I heard her start that acapella, like 'if I should stay.' And it took me like a few seconds, and I thought, what is that? That's so familiar. And then when she went into, you know, like the 'I will always love you,' I just about had a heart attack and died.

[23:05:00]

I just about wrecked. It was a great feeling, though. What a great record she did on that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: Humble, self-deprecating. You know, she made it look easy because she never cared what people thought about her or the privacy that she held so dear in her own life. She never took herself too seriously either.

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BARBARA WALTERS, TELEVISION AND RADIO JOURNALIST: But do you ever feel that you're a joke, that people make fun of you?

PARTON: Oh, I know they make fun of me. But actually, all these years, the people, you know, have thought the joke was on me, but it's actually been on the public. I know exactly what I'm doing, and I can change it at any time. I make more jokes about myself than anybody because I enjoy. I know. Like I said, I am sure of myself as a person.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: That confidence, I love it. And it's contagious. So was her compassion.

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PARTON: Well, I'm not sure about all of the reasons that people act the way they do about other people. I just think we need to dig down a little deeper and try to be a little kinder to one another and accept one another for, you know, for who we are.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: What's Larry King doing on my set? There are too many tributes to cite tonight. From presidents to musicians to actors, everyone honored her, including her friend, Jane Fonda, who starred with Parton in the movie "9 to 5." She wrote, "I know that millions are mourning and I want to say this -- more than anyone I have ever known, Dolly will always be with us because she was so present, so powerful, so generous and playful that she is woven into all of our lives and hearts forever." I'm going to get straight to CNN's Shimon Prokupecz who is out in Nashville where fans are paying their respects to the Queen of Country. Shimon, what it has been like there tonight?

SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: When you talk to people out here in Nashville and the music lovers, they certainly know what this city meant to her, what she meant to this city, her contributions not only to this city, to everything you talked about. But everyone just smiles. And when I would ask them, so tell me about Dolly, they all had stories, and it was stories about compassion and about her giving, and what she did just for this country, and how she brought people together. One man told me the books that she was so into, and making sure that kids would get books, and how his own son benefited from that.

Here's some of what we heard from some of the other people out here.

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UNKNOWN: We're so blessed to be in her hometown tonight. We feel so blessed to be part of -- feels a little closer to Dolly.

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UNKNOWN: We used to dance a lot in my mom and dad's kitchen, and we danced to Dolly. She was an icon.

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UNKNOWN: My mom is 91. She sent a family text out. She goes, I don't know of any person on the planet that has given more than Dolly Parton, not just to East Tennessee, but to the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP) PROKUPECZ: That's more been the message out here. We're hearing a lot of rock and roll out here. There's certainly a lot of country music. People are wearing their cowboy hats, their cowboy boots. Everyone is out here doing whatever they do when they come here to Nashville.

But no one certainly expected to be here on the night, on the day that Dolly died. For them, those that are here, everyone knows who she is. And all are taking it in a different way. But I think most people here and probably most people all across the world right now are celebrating her life, her generosity, and how much she gave back. That's the thing that I think everyone here is so thankful for. She came from nothing, she made it, and she gave back. That is what we should all aspire to.

COATES: Absolutely. Thank you for that. Shimon Prokupecz, thank you so much. And the cathedral of country music is the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Dolly Parton certainly left her mark on that concert hall. She first performed there back in 1959, get this, at the age of 13. And for the last few years, it has held a concert on her birthday to celebrate her. And tonight, a longtime friend and collaborator honored Dolly at the Opry one last time.

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Went there for Christmas once, at the Opryland, and I love, love that area. Singer and songwriter Rhonda Vincent was the voice behind that tribute. It was beautiful. She has known Dolly for more than 30 years, and she joins me now.

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Rhonda, thank you so much for being here tonight. I am so sorry for your loss. And how we're all feeling and smiling at the same time, thinking about the joy that she has brought so many people. How did you, though, find the strength to take the stage and sing so beautifully for your friend tonight?

RHONDA VINCENT, SINGER, FRIEND OF DOLLY PARTON: That was -- you know, it's something I was honored to do. It was not something that was easy to do, but I'm so glad that we got to be there, just how I was already going to be there, and then we changed all of our songs, and so glad I got to walk out on stage and sing "Coat of Many Colors." That's the way the Grand Ole Opry started tonight, and I was honored to get to be the one to do it.

COATES: The audience must have just erupted, just knowing those first couple notes and knowing that it was Dolly's song. What was that like? Tell me what the audience was doing, that vibe you felt.

VINCENT: Well, because there was no introduction, so I just walked out, the curtain came up, and we went into the song. I just said, this is for Dolly. And so, singing the song. Everybody, they just kind of sat in silence, and I think we were all because they said, remembering Dolly. That was on the screen behind me.

So, you know, it was just a wonderful time to be together. I mean, everyone -- I don't think there's a single person as we got to the Opry that hadn't already -- didn't already know that. And so, they knew that they were coming to the Opry, but it was this very special celebration. We got to sing "9 to 5" and "Jolene" later on. And so, it is great to honor her.

COATES: Wow. I mean, you first met Dolly back in 1992 when she invited you to sing on her upcoming album. Take me back to that day, getting that phone call from Dolly who says, what?

VINCENT: So, this is back in the Vodafone day, when the red light was blinking before we had voicemail. And so, I came home, pushed the button, and it said, hi, this is Dolly Parton, and I want you to come to Nashville and sing with me. And I thought it was a prank call. But I called the number, and it was Dolly. And I had never met her before.

But Carl Jackson, thank you, Carl, for this, just placing us in the right place, because he -- she was recording the album "Slow Dancing with the Moon," and she asked Carl. She said, who should we get to sing on this song? And he said, you should get Rhonda Vincent.

And I'm from Greentop, Missouri, a very tiny town in Northern Missouri. And to get a call from her was amazing. The next day, she didn't know where I was, but we drove 550 miles overnight to be there in Nashville. This was like at 5 o'clock in the evening. So, that was my first meeting.

But they were talking about her generosity and the amazing things that she does. There are so many things that Dolly has done that you may not have any idea. I had a life-threatening illness in 2001. When I came home from the hospital, Dolly was standing in my living room in Greentop, Missouri. She went.

And the crazy thing is she went by the Greentop sign and got a picture. She had Judy, you know, her lifelong friend. She said, Judy, let's get a picture. She goes by the Greentop sign. People are calling. I think this may have been before cellphones. And they were calling around saying, I think I just saw Dolly Parton in Greentop, Missouri.

(LAUGHTER)

She said, I had to come and make sure you were OK myself.

COATES: Oh.

VINCENT: And that's just some of the -- just one example of how great, what a wonderful woman that she was, a friend that she was, the mentor. And I got to work with her. I feel so blessed. Thank you, Lord, for this blessing of getting to work with her and getting to know her.

You know, people would say, what is Dolly Parton like? And I'm like, it's what you see is what you get. She was the same person. And I -- I mean, I'm so thrilled I got to see that. And so many people -- everyone loves her. You know, she's a world icon. And she could have been -- you know what? She could act any way she wanted. She didn't have to talk to anybody. But she was so friendly and she always had time for everybody and was so generous. And I'm just grateful that I got to call her a friend.

COATES: That's so special. The idea of just her being in your living room, her calling you, her being the authentic person that we all believe she is, that's really powerful. And there's just so many collaborations you've done together. I mean, covers of classics to original records, including your 2006 song, "Heartbreaker's Alibi." Is there a song that stands out for you, Rhonda?

VINCENT: I mean, I loved all of her songs. I think the one that she had, and I wanted to sing this at the Opry tonight, it was just -- I didn't feel secure enough doing it. But she wrote a song called "God's Coloring Book." And if you go to look at the lyrics to her song, I feel like that's where she is right now. She's looking at God's coloring book.

COATES: That's really powerful. Rhonda Vincent, thank you so much.

VINCENT: Thank you. Blessings.

COATES: Many blessings to you. Dolly Parton, obviously a hero, an inspiration to so many young artists. And for my next guest, Dolly helped spark her journey to country music stardom at a young age. Singer, songwriter, and four-time Grammy nominee Mickey Guyton joins me now, complete with the Dolly sweatshirt. I love it so much. We all loved her.

[23:14:58]

So, you actually discovered Dolly as a little girl when you found VHS tapes --

MICKEY GUYTON, SINGER, FRIEND OF DOLLY PARTON: Yes.

COATES: -- which I know very well.

GUYTON: Yes.

COATES: And she was singing in your grandmother's house. What was it that inspired you about her at such a young age?

GUYTON: You know, so, when you're a little kid and you don't have much entertainment, when I would go to my grandma's house, that's all I had, were her VHS tapes. And I just loved her. I loved her in "Steel Magnolias." I think that was one of my favorites. I loved southern movies growing up. I really wish they would bring those back more often.

But that's -- I just loved her. I love what she stood for. "Coat of Many Colors," that song was so parallel with my mom's life. And me getting to tell her that was something really important. That's a full circle moment for me. And I'm just sad. Today is a sad day. COATES: I want to talk about that full circle moment because I want to celebrate her life. And I want to celebrate the moment that so many people felt connected to her. And you first met her 10 years ago doing an interview with Gayle King. And you had no idea what was going to happen. Let's watch it.

GUYTON: No idea.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GAYLE KING, AMERICAN TV PERSONALITY: What's the name of it?

GUYTON: Ah! Oh, my God!

PARTON: How are you, Mickey?

KING: Your new single.

(LAUGHTER)

PARTON: I'm sorry. Did I interrupt something? Hello. I heard you say some sweet things about me. Surprise, Mickey. Surprise.

KING: Isn't it nice?

GUYTON: Oh, my God.

PARTON: Look at you. Start liking me.

GUYTON: I loved you since I was a little girl.

PARTON: Oh, my goodness.

GUYTON: I just love you so much.

PARTON: Well, thank you so much. Well, that touches me deep. And I'm just happy I've been an inspiration of some sort to you.

GUYTON: Oh, my God.

PARTON: That means so much to me, really.

GUYTON: Thank you.

PARTON: See, now I know why I do it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COATES: Oh, Mickey.

(LAUGHTER)

Oh, my God. I know. I cried with you. Oh, my God. Mickey, that was such a beautiful moment. I cannot imagine what was going through your head. I was screaming along with you back in 2016. It's amazing. What were you thinking? GUYTON: This is going to sound crazy, but I saw her lace front wig. And that was one of the things that I just --

(LAUGHTER)

I'm sobbing, but that was the first thing I noticed. I was like, you are my people. Like, you wear lace front wigs. And that was something that I just remember resonating with so much. Like I saw her, and I know she saw me. And I was just so glad to be able to, you know, give her flowers because she really meant a lot to me, she really meant a lot to my grandma and my mom. And she just introduced me to country music.

And I've just been an absolute mess since finding out her passing today because it's sad. And she lived so well, and I celebrate that. But it's such, you know, it's just a bittersweet thing that I just miss about it.

COATES: I have to say, sometimes, you meet people you've always idolized, you've always loved.

GUYTON: Yes.

COATES: Then you meet them in person, and you think --

GUYTON: Yes.

COATES: -- well, that's the end of that love affair. But Dolly Parton, I've heard everyone who has met her has had the experience of thinking, yes, this is exactly why I loved you so much. Am I right?

GUYTON: Yes. They say you can't meet your heroes because they will disappoint you, but she is definitely someone that never disappointed me when I met her. And, you know, I've gotten to meet some crazy legends in my life. I've gotten to meet Whitney Houston, I've gotten to meet Prince, I've gotten to meet Dolly Parton, and she definitely stood out to me as someone that just -- I'll never forget that moment for the rest of my life.

COATES: Are there any lessons from Dolly Parton that you still carry with you when you're writing music or you're performing?

GUYTON: It's just her honesty. I think that that is the biggest lesson for me, is her complete honesty and transparency. I think that is just so important in life. That, to me, just -- none of these matters, right? We get this long on earth. And it's so important to live outwardly and honestly because people out there really, really appreciate that. And there's someone that's going to see you and be like, I resonate with that.

And the freedom in doing that is so beautiful. And I think that that's something that will always -- it gets me in trouble sometimes, being honest. But it's so important, I think, in life, to live that way.

COATES: Mickey, what song have you been singing all day since you've heard this news? Because your voice, those pipes, and combined with Dolly Parton, I've got to hear something.

GUYTON: You know, "Coat of Many Colors" is the one that I always resonate with because of what it says.

[23:20:02]

One of my favorite lines in that song is, one is only poor only if they choose to be. And it doesn't matter how much money that you have. If you're rich in love, that is how you know that you're rich. Money means nothing. The love and the people around you are what make you rich. And that's something that I've just been thinking about and singing all day, "Coat of Many Colors."

COATES: I love that. And we love you. And I love the authenticity and the way that you love. You've got to give her flowers. Mickey Guyton, thank you so much.

GUYTON: Thank you. Thank you.

COATES: Much more on Dolly Parton later this hour. How cute was Mickey Guyton. But first, a big win for President Trump tonight as Darline Graham pulls off a win in South Carolina. What she said tonight about the president's efforts to get her over the finish line.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. DARLINE GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: Our victory would not have been possible without you, and we are truly grateful.

(APPLAUSE)

South Carolina is truly Trump country.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: Breaking tonight, South Carolina Republicans have picked who will carry the mantle of the late Lindsey Graham into November. CNN projects his own sister, Darline Graham, will defeat Congressman Ralph Norman by a nearly five-point margin. The general election sprint starts right now, everyone.

We're here to talk about it. Former deputy communications director for Trump's 2024 campaign, Caroline Sunshine, Democratic strategist and longtime advisor to South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn, Antjuan Seawright, CNN contributor Lulu Garcia-Navarro, and White House correspondent for Bloomberg, Jeff Mason. Let's get right into this moment because, Antjuan, I mean, you know South Carolina very well. Tell me about her chances. ANTJUAN SEAWRIGHT, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST, CEO OF BLUEPRINT STRATEGY, ADVISOR TO JIM CLYBURN: Look, I think it's going to be a 50-50 jump ball.

COATES: Really?

SEAWRIGHT: Conventional wisdom will tell you that our state would lean Republican, but I do not think we're living in conventional times. I think more and more voters across the country will find themselves being independent thinkers instead of independent voters. And I don't think there's some big loyalty to the MAGA movement. I think we saw that twice play out in South Carolina in the redistricting effort and the first iteration of the gubernatorial race. I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but I do think it's doable to some degree.

COATES: She has been there since July, we know, in the interim period since her brother's passing. She has made comments that have gotten her into trouble in the debates. People have questioned whether she's prepared for the role at all. And then she was asked by CBS correspondent Ed O'Keefe what specific proposals she might make as a senator to help drive down costs, and she said she'd deal with it when she gets there. Now, there obviously is a learning curve in Washington for somebody who's new to office, but is that a vulnerability for her?

CAROLINE SUNSHINE, FORMER DEPUTY COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, TRUMP 2024 CAMPAIGN: Well, I give Darline credit for figuring out in one week what her brother couldn't figure out in 30 years, which is that Americans don't care about Taiwan. They want to focus on domestic issues and not foreign adventures. With that being said, I am not a fan of coronations. I think they're un-American.

And I think for her prep, the fact that she couldn't go to her brother's office, who was a senator for 30 years, and say to a staffer, can you get me a binder of every one of the public positions my brother held over his last 30 years? I just want to educate myself and read up on that and show up prepared, the fact that that didn't happen proves, I think, what I had somebody I love tell me, where he said, if I told you that my brother was a surgeon, would you let me operate on you?

COATES: No. No, I would not.

SEAWRIGHT: Laura, I do think voters care about what has happened, both domestically and abroad. This war of choice brought to you by Donald Trump and your neighborhood Republican Party is driving up costs for everyday Americans, gas, groceries, goods, and services, and that has impact on the American everyday lifestyle.

And so, I do think Americans care. What I think Republican voters do not care about is whether or not a person can speak their position clearly on any given issue. I think that's part of the reason why Donald Trump sailed through the Republican primary twice, and I also think that's part of the reason why Darline Graham was able to make her way through the Republican primary.

LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, CNN CONTRIBUTOR, JOURNALIST FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES, PODCAST HOST: I think there are two things that are true here. One is that this is a win for Donald Trump. I don't think there's any other way to look at this. This is what got her over the finish line.

COATES: His endorsement.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: His endorsement. The fact that he put her into office, basically handed this to her, and has been supporting her every step of the way. I also agree with you that this is distasteful. I don't think that this --

COATES: Which aspect is distasteful?

GARCIA-NAVARRO: I'm about to say. The idea that you would take the sibling of a sitting senator and try and push them into higher office. She is clearly unqualified for the position.

COATES: So, why do you think voters were drawn to her over a sitting congressman?

JEFF MASON, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, BLOOMBERG: Well, I think the Trump effect played out, and it was a little bit of a gamble because of some of the gaffes that we were talking about. But the president's gamble, to the extent that it was, paid off.

And I will tell you, having listened to his teller rally that he did last night with Senator Graham, she said at the end she was drawing some comparisons between herself and her brother, and she painted herself as more conservative on immigration than Lindsey Graham, and also said that she would vote to get rid of the filibuster in order to pass the SAVE Act.

Those are things that President Donald Trump really, really wants. And so that, to me as a reporter, I think provided some insight into why perhaps President Trump gave her the backing that he did.

COATES: Well, he said as much last week when he said that she will do what the president wants, and then she says just now that South Carolina is Trump country. And I am wondering from the voter perspective, we were looking at this, you know, voters certainly may have drawn their lines in the sand and chosen their parties, but they also want not rubber stamps. I mean, we've seen that there has been a backlash against incumbents who they perceive as being weak for that reason.

[23:30:00]

SEAWRIGHT: Well, there are other underlining factors in this primary. One, there was $8 million spent on her behalf versus $2 million on behalf of Ralph Norman. I think no political romance without finance. Money makes a difference.

I also think she benefited from the Graham name. South Carolina is a very loyal state. Our voters are very loyal. I think people voted for her out of respect for her brother. I think that mattered. I think that Trump endorsed and played to some degree. I also think that Republicans and Democrats' homework are not graded the same when it comes to elections. We have to lay out a polished position, tell the American public how we're going to pay for it, how it impacts them, whereas Republicans can say, drill, baby, drill is a strategy or what Darline Graham answered in some cases, and they can sail through an election. I think they're two different things.

COATES: You mentioned that -- I mean, I'm paraphrasing you, but Trump must be sighing a kind of a sigh of relief knowing that one of his endorsed candidates has made it over the finish line. But then you have Kentucky congressional candidate Ralph Alvarado, who is backed by the president, and he removed mentions of the president from his campaign site. And he once called himself an America first fighter. He's now touting his independent leadership.

Explain that pivot in terms of the base. Is that where the future is for voters who during the November election want to have that 10-foot pole and want to appear to be less rubber stamping?

SUNSHINE: I don't think that will work. I don't think that's a smart strategy at all. I think --

COATES: Kentucky or elsewhere as well?

SUNSHINE: Elsewhere as well. I think when you're saying, you know, Darline Graham said she's going to do or the president said she's going to do whatever the president says, what he means by that is the American people overwhelmingly in 2024 elected Donald J. Trump in a seven-swing state mandate. When I say coronations don't work, look at Kamala Harris.

The policy positions that he holds of, hey, let's get voter I.D., hey, let's continue to get illegal immigrants out of our country, those are policy positions that are supported by 80 percent of the American people. So, any candidate that wants to run from those positions is asking for a loss. I would run towards those positions.

SEAWRIGHT: Well, I think a general election or primary is different because every single major issue the president campaigned on, the president is underwater on those issues and his party, and I think voters are going to pull the plug in November as a direct result. I think the primary is one thing and the general election is another issue.

COATES: Do you see the idea of doing what the president wants, that voters view that as the role of senators and members of Congress? There's supposed to be a check and balance. Period.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: You'd think that has not been what has happened, certainly since Donald Trump was elected in 2024. Listen, you know, it's curious. I am so interested in this particular election because everyone has been wildly speculating about what the American people want. What we do know is that they're angry, right I mean, polls have been all over the place. I don't trust polls anymore. And so, people are really, really upset about their finances, about what they thought they were going to get and what they actually have gotten. But at the end of the day, you know, Donald Trump does have a hold on his party and he does have a hold on part of the electorate. And so, I'm not so sure that Democrats should be giving themselves the crown as I've seen them doing. They're already talking about taking over the House and the Senate, and I'm not sure that's going to happen.

COATES: We have more to talk about with this. Everyone, stick around because up next, Dolly Parton was a trailblazer, but her legacy goes far beyond music. One of her greatest passions was teaching kids to read. The author of a children's book written in Dolly's honor joins me next.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

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[23:35:00]

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PARTON: Hello, kiddies. You want me to read a book to you? You do? Well, I'm going.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: She may be the "Queen of Country Music," but there is another nickname that Dolly Parton wore very proudly, "The Book Lady." Of all her philanthropic work, she is best known for starting the Imagination Library 30 years ago, which has gifted more than 300 million books to kids under the age of five, a project she started in honor of her father, who never learned to read.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PARTON: My own father didn't get a chance to go to school. He couldn't read and write. That was very -- that hindered him a great deal because he was so smart. You know, it really bothered him a lot.

But I started it because of my dad, and I got my dad involved in it. He helped me a great deal when we were putting it together. He felt like he was doing something important. And so, he took a lot of pride in that. The kids started calling me "The Book Lady." And my dad was so proud of that. He thought that was the cutest thing. He just was prouder of that than probably my great success in showbusiness.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: But her philanthropic work did not stop there. She started the Dollywood Foundation to help lower high school dropouts in her home county in Tennessee. In the 90s, she started the Buddy Program, pledging to give $500 to every 7th and 8th grader in her home county if they finished high school. She also donated a million dollars to help fund the Moderna COVID vaccine. She would even quietly fund band uniforms and musical instruments at Black high schools across the south while never taking credit for it.

[23:40:00]

Joining me now is best-selling author Brad Meltzer. He shared Dolly Parton's passion for child literacy and wrote a children's book biography of Parton titled, "I Am Dolly Parton." Brad, you wrote this book for a children's series called "Ordinary People Changed the World." It was meant to give kids positive and real-life heroes. So, what lessons did you want all the kids reading this to learn from Dolly Parton, "The Book Lady?"

BRAD MELTZER, AUTHOR: You know, to me, Dolly Parton is the embodiment of the American dream. When she was born, she's so poor. Her dad pays the doctor that delivers her with a sack of cornmeal. And it's her mother who feeds her with a love of books. And one of Dolly's favorite books when she's a little kid is "A Little Engine That Could." And that's who Dolly Parton is. She's the little engine.

So, that's the thing I want my kids to see. I want my daughter to hear that lesson, I want my sons to hear that lesson, and watch who Dolly Parton is. Instead of wearing what others wanted her to wear, she starts wearing flashy costumes. And instead of singing just country songs, she sings to all audiences. Instead of just being a music star, she makes movies. She starts her own amusement park, and as you said, her own charity, the Imagination Library. Three hundred million books donated and two million every month additionally. And the first book they gave away, Laura, "The Little Engine That Could."

COATES: Oh.

MELTZER: And that's what I want my kids to look up to. That businesswoman, that writer, that amazing philanthropist, that's a hero to me.

COATES: For me, too. And that story really touches my heart because my father always says, if you can read, you can travel the entire world and no one gets to take your joy when you go. And the Imagination Library that she started, it meant to little kids all across the country, especially those from low-income neighborhoods like the one Dolly grew up in. It meant so much to have that access, to have that opportunity, and to have somebody see them and their potential, and what could be in just reading.

MELTZER: Well, that's the thing that books do, is they let you look through someone else's eyes. And that's what they did for young Dolly when she was reading. Because as a kid, you have to understand, she didn't feel like she belonged. She sounded different. She looked different than everyone else.

Where she was from, she famously said, people didn't dream of seeing the whole world. But she wanted to know, what's on the other side of that mountain? And she dreamed that butterflies would find her there. She loved butterflies. You see butterflies all over her famous costumes. And that's also the lesson I want for my kids, that being a dreamer is a good thing. You never know where your dreams are going to take you.

COATES: You really never do. And of all of her achievements, she talks about her father being so proud, and including him as well in realizing the dreams, not only that you had, but those that your parents had that go through you. And she channeled that, the music, the movies, the Hall of Fame awards, philanthropy. I mean, what do you think people are going to remember most about her decades from now? For me, just in your stories alone, it will be that she inspired others to dream and never forgot to herself.

MELTZER: I think, right now, we're all wondering, how do we honor Dolly Parton? And I'm going to tell you how. Because, yes, listen to the great songs, she has so many of them, but think of her herself, actually act like Dolly Parton.

If you've ever been to one of her concerts, you'll see people that are old and young there, rich and poor, gay and straight, country folk, city folk, Black, white, all of them. She loves them all. And she does not judge people, as long as you're being yourself.

So, if you want to honor Dolly Parton, act a little more kinder to each other, a little more decent to each other. We're all starving for decency right now. Show a little more compassion to people. That, to me, is her greatest legacy. The songs are wonderful, but that feeling we had today, where all of us are like, man, that's a loss of a good person, be that good person. We need Dolly Parton right now more than ever in this country.

COATES: Brad Meltzer, thank you so much.

MELTZER: Thank you.

COATES: Up next, the panel is back with me on how Dolly Parton was able to transcend our politics.

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[23:45:00]

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A.J. HAMMER, HLN HOST: I am sure somewhere in the course of your career, somebody has suggested that you run for president.

PARTON: Yes.

HAMMER: Because based on popularity -- no, seriously, hasn't somebody along the way said, Dolly, why don't you run for -- why don`t you run for that White House?

PARTON: Yes. But you know what I say? We've had enough boobs in the White House. (LAUGHTER)

They don't need me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: Dolly Parton's popularity transcended music, culture, and yes, politics. Just this year, one poll ranked her as one of the most popular public figures, far outpacing every politician in America. Everyone from President Trump to New York Mayor Mamdani have paid tribute to the legend. So just what was it about Dolly Parton that united both Republicans and Democrats behind her?

My panel is back with me. And you know what, Lulu, you interviewed her before. How did she manage to say so out of politics or get the backlash when she really did talk about cultural, political issues in an outspoken way?

GARCIA-NAVARRO: She did, but she never -- it was never in a partisan way. She was never taking sides with blue hat or red hat. She would talk about everyone having a seat at the table. When she talked about LGBTQ issues, she was saying, I believe that everyone is God's creation, I believe that everyone should be accepted for who they are. This was a matter of faith for her. It was a matter of principle for her.

[23:50:00]

And so, therefore, it wasn't a political matter.

COATES: The idea of the political versus the partisanship is quite instructive in terms of how some candidates might look at this. And obviously, she was not a candidate, she's a beloved figure in so many ways. But she did proclaim Black Lives Matter. She did support LGBTQ rights. She even gave a million bucks to the Moderna vaccine, which is at a time when people were questioning whether science should be trusted in that fashion. Republicans still embraced her, though. Is it for those reasons that Lulu was talking about?

SUNSHINE: No, but I think the other thing about Dolly is she also took care of her home community and she wasn't fake. And for somebody who never engaged in partisan politics, the advice I would give to candidates running for office if you want to emulate Dolly is don't be fake.

People are so let down by politicians feeling fake, friends feeling fake, their social media feeds feeling fake. And Dolly had that fake look. She had that bleached blonde hair and those red nails unapologetically. And you expected her to be fake, and she wasn't. She was really real, and people were so pleasantly surprised by that.

And she took care of her home community. Sure, she held political stances like you just mentioned but, first and foremost, she made sure that her community -- she increased the literacy rate of her hometown, I mean, by exponential numbers. And she did more good for her community, you could argue, than the political representation they have. You know?

SEAWRIGHT: I think that she did her best job of being authentic to who she was and understanding that issues divide us but our values unite us. I think she leaned in to her value set. And unlike some of the blue check mark folks today, she used her platform for good. And I think that is what separates her. And there are very few things in America that bring everyone together. Sports is one of those things. Music is one of them. But Dolly Parton is one of them.

COATES: Well, Jeff, why do you think Trump's message here -- I mean, it stands in stark contrast from what he has said in other cases. He has often talked about Trump derangement syndrome. He has criticized celebrities who haven't necessarily had all the same viewpoints he has. But he was supportive. What do you think it was about her?

MASON: Supportive of Dolly Parton? Well, I don't think it would be politically advisable not to be supportive of Dolly Parton. I think President Trump is smart enough politically.

COATES: Dolly is much more popular than Donald Trump.

SEAWRIGHT: Taylor Swift. He doesn`t support Taylor Swift.

MASON: Well, that's true. That's true. But you didn't see even Taylor Swift on that chart that was just put up on the screen. I mean, to the broader conversation about Dolly Parton, I never thought, as a political reporter, I'd have a chance to talk about her on live T.V.

COATES: And now?

MASON: But she could be qualified, other than to say that I admired her, too. And as an analyst, I think you can stand back. Someone who's looking at politics, she did live her values and she did stand up for what she believed in even though she very, very deliberately wanted to appeal to people on both sides of that political aisle.

But there are examples of her living her values. Like you mentioned, in LGBT, she wrote an amazing song for the movie "Transamerica" called "Traveling Through." And she did that vaccine as well. So, she lived her values, and I think that speaks to a lot of people.

COATES: Political, not partisan. Quite instructive. Everyone, thank you so much. We have more ahead. But as we go to break, Dolly Parton in her own words.

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PARTON: I always say that because of the way I was brought up and my beliefs and principles and values, hopefully, that I count my blessings more than I count my money. I just feel like if I'm doing what I am happy doing and doing things to share and to help everybody else, I, of course, will make tons of money. And as I've always joked, it costs a lot to look this cheap, and I need the money.

(LAUGHTER) But it ain't just about the money. I really love the work. I love the creative end of it. I love seeing and making and helping things happen. And it really is a great thing. I know that I'm very fortunate, but I don't take a bit of that for granted.

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COATES: It's day seven of the Tupac Shakur murder trial, and the prosecution is laying its cards on the table. Let's open up the case file and dive straight into today's testimony.

First up, exhibit A, the shot-caller prosecutors are driving home as a central legal theory. You don't have to actually pull the trigger to be guilty of murder. Even the retired Compton police officer, Robert Ladd, reiterated that point.

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BINU PALAL, CLARK COUNTY CHIEF DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY, PROSECUTOR: Using Mr. Davis's images, Mr. Brown, Terrence Brown, DeAndre Smith, Orlando Anderson, and Mr. Davis are in a car. Who is the leader in that car?

ROBERT LADD, RETIRED COMPTON POLICE OFFICER: Mr. Davis.

PALAL: Who is the shot caller in that car?

LADD: Mr. Davis.

PALAL: And so, if a shot is coming, if those four people are in a car and shots are coming out of that, who has to give the authorization?

LADD: Mr. Davis.

PALAL: In your experience, knowing the roles of everybody in that vehicle, could Mr. Anderson shoot that gun with Mr. Davis in the car without Mr. Davis's permission?

LADD: No.

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COATES: I tell you, I cannot believe that there was not an objection from the defense because he was talking hypothetically about the actual crime itself. But I wasn't trying the case.

Next, exhibit B, the paper trail prosecutors introduced a series of news articles about Tupac's life and death that were allegedly found during a raid on Keffe D's home in 2023. Look at this. Poetic justice, other matters around his death and beyond, even things about Suge Knight that you see there. But a detective testified she couldn't say who actually clipped these and compiled the articles and preserved them behind those photo album sheets, let alone what the motive was in even keeping them.

And finally, I bring you exhibit C, the ambush. Tupac Shakur's lifelong friend, Malcolm Greenidge, took the jury and took them back to the final seconds on the strip just before that deadly gunfire began.

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MALCOLM GREENIDGE, CHILDHOOD FRIEND OF TUPAC SHAKUR: We were at a light. Mr. Shakur and Suge Knight was talking to some young ladies. We couldn't hear what they were talking about. When those young ladies pulled off, another car pulled up and started shooting at Mr. Shakur and Mr. Knight.

UNKNOWN: What's your reaction when you see the shots?

GREENIDGE: I'm horrified.

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COATES: Tomorrow, I'll be back covering day eight of this trial on CNN All Access. It's also available on Amazon Prime and HLN. You got to follow me on social for all the updates.

Thank you all so much for watching. "The Story Is with Elex Michaelson" is next.