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Garth Brooks’ daughter Allie Colleen Brooks has some very strong views on the right and wrong way to mourn a country music legend.
The 30-year-old singer-songwriter found herself in the middle of a social media firestorm after sharing a tribute to Dolly Parton following the beloved icon’s death at 80.
And while Allie may have intended to offer a heartfelt reflection on grief, some fans thought she made the moment just a little too much about herself — and her famous father.
“My greatest fear in life is the day my Dad loses his life and I have to see the world mourn a man they never knew the way I knew him,” Allie wrote in an Instagram Story.
She then turned her attention to Parton’s loved ones.
“To the personal family and friends of Mrs. Dolly you have all my love and condolences today and forever going forward,” she continued.
“What a huge, beautiful, special life to have loved and to grieve. Thank you for sharing her with us all.”
Allie went on to describe mourning as a “beautiful privilege” and said that grieving is knowing you “loved deeply and fully.”
Touching sentiment, right? Well, not everyone was feeling it.
Several commenters accused Allie of making Parton’s death about her own relationship with her father, with one person calling it “the weirdest condolence post” they had ever seen. And yeah, they have a point.
One commenter was rather blunt, writing, “An utterly ridiculous comment to make. This is not about you or your father” (via Page Six).
Someone else questioned whether Allie’s words suggested that fans had less of a right to grieve Parton because they didn’t know her personally.
“That’s kinda insinuating like none of us have loved our dads as much as you love yours?” the commenter wrote.
Allie wasn’t about to simply let the criticism slide.
She clarified that she wasn’t attempting to tell anyone else how to grieve, explaining that she was speaking from her own experiences as the daughter of a famous musician.
“I would never act like I understand how much you grieve anyone,” she wrote.
“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.”
When another commenter asked, “No one is allowed to be sad except the family? That’s wild,” Allie fired back:
“This is my account — I am saying I don’t know how to respond to these things in my industry because of my life experiences. I’m not telling anyone else how to grieve. I’m just acknowledging the family. You do you babe.”
For what it’s worth, Allie did find some support.
Fellow country singer Mackenzie Lynn Adkins, whose father is Trace Adkins, said she understood the fear Allie was describing.
Dolly died on August 25 following a brief battle with cancer, prompting an enormous outpouring of grief from fans and celebrities around the world.
And apparently, Allie wasn’t a fan of some of the public displays of grief. Expect more of this particular brand of weirdness as the Nepo Baby Era rolls on.
