Eminem has shared a note he received from Dolly Parton11:53, 26 Aug 2026Updated 11:54, 26 Aug 2026Eminem has shared a letter he once received from Dolly Parton as he joined the legions of stars mourning the late singer's passing.‌The rapper, 53, took to social media after hearing Dolly had died at the age of 80 after a short battle with cancer. Eminem revealed that the Country music icon had once written him a letter when he was inducted into the prestigious Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.‌At the time, the Slim Shady singer, whose real name is Marshall Bruce Mathers III, had impressed Dolly so much that even though she hadn't met him still felt compelled to get in touch.‌The letter, posted to Instagram, read: "Marshall (Eminem) Congratulations on your induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Your performance was amazing and everybody said so. Even though I don't know a lot about rap music, I've come to know that you are the very best at it."Aside from that I hope what I have to say will not seem weird or strange to you but I have always felt some unexplained connection to you like I know you somehow.‌"I had hoped to meet you at the show but you know how nuts those things are, personally I hate 'em and I missed my chance but maybe someday we'll meet. In the meantime, keep doing what you're doing because you do it so well and no matter how complex your world may be just know you are very special and touch people in ways you don't even know. With love & respect, Dolly Parton."In the caption of the post, Eminem expressed his regret that their paths never crossed in person but still paid an emotional tribute to Dolly and thanked her for her letter.He wrote: "I’m sorry we never got a chance to meet, but getting this note from Dolly really had a an impact on me. She definitely didn’t have to take the time to do it.‌"Even for a kid who mostly listened to rap music, she was an icon. A superstar in every sense. Rest easy Dolly. And thank you for the kind words."Around the same time Eminem had been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Dolly had also been chosen for the honour - although she initially chose not to accept it. To be eligible, artists are required to have released their first record 25 years before induction. The Rock Hall called Dolly "a living legend and a paragon of female empowerment.‌At the time, she told fans via her Instagram that she was going to "respectfully bow out" of the vote, but she then accepted and as well as Eminem, was inducted alongside Lionel Richie and Duran Duran.She said at the time: "I am honoured and humbled by the fact that I have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “Of course I will accept it gracefully. Thanks to everyone that voted for me and to everyone at the @rockhall. I will continue to work hard and try to live up to the honor."‌Dolly, who is best remembered for tracks such as 9 to 5, I Will Always Love You and Jolene but also released some 49 studio albums across the course of her career, died on Tuesday, her nephew Bryan Seaver announced on Instagram. “I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven’t truly felt it until now,” he said. “It is an honour, an honour that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness.”Representatives for the country star confirmed the singer's death followed a 'brief battle with cancer.' The type of cancer was not disclosed."After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones,” the statement concluded.Article continues belowHer death comes just four days after she told fans that she had been struggling health-wise after the death of her husband Carl Dean last year.She said last Friday: “I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl. You know, this isn’t the first time I’ve had to manage something like this. Back in the early ’80s, I was down for several months with female issues, and I was struggling with my weight at the time too, so it’s not like I haven’t been through hard times with my health.”* Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .