Baby It’s Cold Outside: Rod’s duet partner Dolly Parton has died

The music world is mourning the loss of one of its all-time greats: country icon Dolly Parton has died today at the age of 80.
Her trademarks were her blonde hair, an unmistakable voice and an ever-radiant smile. In 2004, she recorded the song ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’ as a duet with Rod Stewart for his Great American Songbook album series.
Her career began at a very young age. She soon rose to become a global star, however. Songs such as ‘Jolene’ and ‘I Will Always Love You’ became worldwide hits; in recent months, ‘Jolene’ had also been a regular feature of Rod Stewart’s concerts. His band would perform the Parton classic whenever Sir Rod disappeared backstage for a quick refreshment break.
Throughout her long life, Dolly Parton was not only a singer; she also worked as an actress and producer, and, as a hard-working entrepreneur, built up a vast empire.
Along the way, she always retained her sense of humour and down-to-earth nature. She was also constantly committed to the welfare of children, campaigning through her Imagination Library to ensure that children received books free of charge.
Musically, Dolly Rebecca Paron (her full name), born in Pittman Centre, Tennessee, remained active well into her later years. Most recently, however, she was forced to cancel her planned concerts in Las Vegas and other US cities due to ongoing health problems.

Later that evening, Rod Stewart also expressed his grief: “I am completely stunned – I’ve only just come to terms with Bonnie’s death. Rest in peace, my dear Dolly,” the singer wrote on his Instagram account.