Dolly Parton pens tribute to deceased uncle, co-writer Bill Owens

Dolly Parton wrote a touching tribute to her uncle Bill Owens, who she credits with helping her get her start in music, after he died Wednesday.

“I’ll start this eulogy by saying I wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t been there. He was there… there in my young years to encourage me to keep playing my guitar, to keep writing my songs, to keep practicing my singing. And he was there to help build my confidence standing on stage where he was always standing behind me or close beside me with his big ol’ red Gretsch guitar,” Parton wrote.

“It’s really hard to say or to know for sure what all you owe somebody for your success. But I can tell you for sure that I owe Uncle Billy an awful lot,” she added.

According to Parton, her uncle was a prodigious songwriter himself, penning songs for Loretta Lynn and Kris Kristofferson, among others, and the two collaborated several times, including on “Put It Off Until Tomorrow” which won BMI Song of the Year in 1966.

“I bet a lot of our own relatives don’t even know all of the great things that Uncle Bill did behind the scenes through his life. But the greatest thing he ever did for me was to help me see my dreams come true and for that I will be forever grateful. I’m sure that Uncle Bill’s friends, fans, his wife Sandy, his kids, grandkids and great grandkids will join me when I say that we will always love you. Rest in peace, Uncle Bill,” Parton concludes the obituary.

The 75-year-old singer, who helped fund Moderna’s COVID-19 in one of her latest contributions to American life, can currently be seen in a career-spanning documentary/tribute concert on Netflix.