Dolly Parton’s Niece Jada Star on the Icon’s Final Days: ‘Just a Shock’ (Exclusive)

Dolly Parton’s niece Jada Star is opening up about the country icon’s final days. 

A week ago, the world lost a global icon, but she lost her family’s matriarch. 

“Extra’s” Mona Kosar Abdi spoke to Star, who noted that Dolly’s death was “really difficult and very surreal.”

According to Jada, it has been “really bittersweet” because of the beautiful outpouring of love they’ve received from around the world.

She added, “All of these tributes have helped so much to help us all through it.”

Jada looked back on life with Dolly, saying, “I can’t remember a life without her. She would also tell us to start drying it up and start trying to get back to work and love each other real hard. She was just a trip.”

Dolly’s family opted to keep her health struggles “real private” until the end.

Jada explained, “She never wanted to worry anybody. So I think it was just a shock on Tuesday."

After her passing, Dolly’s family honored her at the Grand Ole Opry. 

Jada shared, “Not a dry eye in the house, as they would say.”

Jada said of being onstage and performing, “I hope that she would have been real proud. She knows that I was a chicken. She had a different set of advice for every single person on the earth… For me, my advice I frequently got was, ‘Why are you worried about what other people think?’ So I just thought of that when I was out there.”

Jada is a singer and songwriter herself and will use all the advice that she got from Dolly. She said, “Everything she taught me, I’ll use in everything I do.”

Years ago, Jada appeared on the completion show “Claim to Fame” with Dolly’s stamp of approval.

Jada recalled, “I went to her first. I said, ‘Is it okay if I do this?’ And she said, ‘Absolutely. It’s okay.’ She said, ‘Go out there. Don’t show your butt.’ And she said, ‘Keep your room clean.’ I was surprised as everyone else when she showed up and so those tears were quite genuine.”