Sir Paul McCartney can’t ‘imagine a world’ without Dolly Parton

Sir Paul McCartney said he would find it "hard to imagine living in a world without Dolly."

"The magnificent star Dolly Parton has died and it is so sad. She was such a wonderful woman," Paul, wrote on Instagram in a caption accompanying a pair of monochrome photos of them together in their younger years.

He continued, "I first met her in Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry where she had been playing with the country star Porter Wagoner and was about to start her solo career. She was so bubbly and full of life it is difficult to take in the news that she has passed. Her songwriting, her singing and her philanthropy were unrivaled in the world of country music and it is hard to imagine living in a world without Dolly."

Dolly died "after bravely facing a brief battle with cancer," her family announced via a statement released hours after her passing.

"Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched," the statement read.

"Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand.”

Sir Paul also mentioned, "Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly's unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact.”

"After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Centre surrounded by loved ones,” the statement concluded.