Brentwood, Tennessee - Iconic singer Dolly Parton had a vast collection of tattoos that she kept largely hidden for many years, using them not for decoration, but for something different.

Parton confirmed in 2020 that her body was actually coated in numerous tattoos, each one covering up scars from past illnesses.

"I do have some tattoos, that's true. But they're tasteful. I'm not a tattoo girl," she told PEOPLE Magazine at the time, revealing that the scars had been clearly visible and she had wanted to hide them.

"My tattoos are pretty, they're artful, and they usually started out to cover some scar, not to make a big statement," she explained.

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"Ribbons and bows and butterflies are the things that I have. I was very sick for a while, and I had to wear a feeding tube. It left a little indentation in my side, and I didn't like it because I'm so fair that scars turn purple on me."

While not opening up about the exact illness that had caused the scarring, Parton did describe one particular tattoo – a beehive with a tiny bee – that she says was an attempt to "make positives out of negatives."

The tattoo-related tale has been made all the more significant by Parton's death at 80 after experiencing months of mystery health issues.

"Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family," read a statement posted to her X account on Tuesday.

Her death has triggered an outpouring of grief across Tennessee and elsewhere, with many laying flowers at a statue in her hometown of Sevierville.