Singer-songwriter Allie Colleen, the daughter of country legend Garth Brooks, has caught flak online for her tribute to Dolly Parton, following Parton's passing at the age of 80.

Parton is being mourned by the country music community and beyond, with countless artists paying homage to the ‘9 to 5’ icon, including Colleen's father, Brooks, who has announced that September 25th will be an honorary “Dolly Day” at his Friends in Low Places Bar. The date - 9/25 - is a tip of the cap to Parton's hit, ‘9 to 5’.

But Colleen's own tribute has sparked some controversy on social media, with some followers questioning whether she is implying that fans can't mourn celebrities they don't know.

Colleen wrote, “My greatest fear in life is the day my Dad loses his life and I have to se the world mourn a man they never knew the way I knew him...To the personal family and friends of Mrs. Dolly you have all my love and condolences today and forever going forward...What a huge, beautiful, special life to have loved and to grieve...Thank you for sharing her with us all...What a beautiful privilege it is to mourn”.

She went on, “To grieve is to know you loved deeply and fully. To the woman we all love, and all those who grieve for her - I love you all. Please respect the family and her personal friends”.

Some fans in the comments have expressed their discomfort at Colleen's choice of words, with a few arguing that just because they aren't directly acquainted with artists like Parton, their own personal experiences of grief means they can still understand and experience the loss, and then sympathise with her family members.

One fan, for instance, complained, “We will mourn the loss, never in the way you will. Just know that all of us may have gone through that before and we will understand your pain”.

Colleen has responded, “I don’t think you will...I would never relate to you losing your father - I don’t know how you would relate to mine. Kind of exactly what I am talking about”.

Another replied, “That’s kinda insinuating like none of us have loved our dads as much as you love yours? Loss is loss. Everyone who has experienced it can relate”, with Colleen clarifying what she meant by her original statement, “I would never act like I understand how much you grieve anyone - that’s all I am saying. I would never act like I understand how you feel the day you lose your person, so I would expect the same respect that you don’t know how I feel the day I lose mine”.

You can understand why some fans have taken offence at the idea that their grief isn't valid, especially given how deeply Parton in particular has touched the lives of so many.

But at the same time, the sentiment and intention behind Colleen's initial post was clearly to pay her respects to Parton, while reflecting on the very real - but hopefully very distant - prospect of her one day being in a similar situation with her dad, Brooks.

We can't pretend to understand the complex emotions of having to grieve the loss of someone who is revered by so many, but who is known on a completely different level by you. Grief is a strange beast, and you could forgive Colleen for feeling as though her grief of her father should be prioritised or given more credence than the grief of a fan who loved Brooks’ music, but didn't grow up with him as their dad.

Ultimately, it doesn't feel like Colleen meant to start any trouble with her post, and this seems - in this writer's mind, at least - like an instance of people giving their attention to the wrong thing, when really, the focus should be on paying tribute to Parton.

Parton and Brooks enjoyed a close friendship over the years, famously hosting the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards together in 2023, and Brooks’ decision to make September 25th “Dolly Day” - with all proceeds going towards Parton's Imagination Library - highlighting how much he admired the country trailblazer.