Stars including Taylor Swift pay tribute to music legend Dolly Parton

Some of the world's biggest stars have paid tribute to Dolly Parton, the much-loved American singer, songwriter, actor and charity supporter, who has died aged 80.

Taylor Swift said: "A world without Dolly doesn't feel possible, real, or right." She described Parton as "true grace and true grit, all in one dazzling person" and said her legacy would last because of "the countless lives she changed for the better".

Singer Sabrina Carpenter, who recorded a version of Please Please Please with Parton, remembered her "playful outlook on life" and "perfect sense of humor". She added: "There will never be another you," praising Parton's "once in a lifetime voice, songs, and heart".

Music star Beyoncé described Parton as "bold and brilliant" and "talented and tenacious". She added: "You taught so many lessons on how to be uniquely oneself. I am grateful for your art, your heart, your generosity, your humor, your entrepreneurship."

US President Donald Trump called her death "a true loss for millions of people". He said: "There has never been anyone like her, and never will," adding: "The World loves you."

The president has ordered flags across the US to be lowered at half mast for one week to honour the country music icon.

Dolly Parton was born in Tennessee, in the United States, on 19 January 1946.

She grew up in a poor farming family in an area known as the Great Smoky Mountains and was the fourth of 12 children.

Her family didn't have much money, but her early life was filled with music. Dolly sang in church and appeared on local television as a child.

She wrote her first single, Puppy Love, with her uncle Bill when she was 11, and released it at 13.

She eventually became known as the 'Queen of Country', but her music reached far beyond country fans.

Dolly wrote hundreds of songs, often telling stories about family, hardship and work.

Her best-known songs include Jolene, Coat of Many Colors, 9 to 5 and I Will Always Love You. The last of these also became a worldwide hit when it was recorded by Whitney Houston.

Many of Parton's songs told stories. Coat of Many Colors, for example, was about her mother making her a coat from scraps of material when the family could not afford expensive clothes.

She was known for her fashion, her iconic big blonde hairstyle, sparkling clothes and quick sense of humour.

She also acted in films, including the movie 9 to 5, a comedy about three women challenging unfair treatment at work.

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library began in 1995.

Inspired by her father, who could not read or write, the programme sends a free book each month to registered children from birth until their fifth birthday. It now operates in several countries, including the UK.

Parton said that: "Inspiring kids to love to read became my mission."

Taylor Swift praised her for providing millions of books so that children "might fall in love with stories the way she did".

In 1986, Parton became a co-owner of Dollywood, a theme park near the Tennessee mountains where she grew up.

Parton said the park celebrated the mountains and culture of her home region. In her 1994 book, she wrote: "I love the fact that I am able to give something back and provide so many people with jobs where none existed before."

Following the news, US landmarks including the Empire State Building in New York, were lit up in sparkling pink to honour Dolly Parton.

Tributes continue to come from people across music, public life, politics and several generations.

Parton's family said her legacy was one of "love, compassion, and resilience".