Jeff Bezos tried to honor Dolly Parton following the country music legend’s death, but his heartfelt tribute quickly turned into a social media pile-on.

The Amazon billionaire shared a personal message after Parton died on August 25 at age 80, praising the “Jolene” singer for her kindness, generosity and decades of helping others.

But instead of simply joining Bezos in mourning, some critics immediately turned the spotlight back on his enormous fortune.

Bezos posted an Instagram photo showing himself talking with Parton at a formal event.

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A post shared by Jeff Bezos (@jeffbezos)

“Dolly spent her whole life showing us what it means to lead with love,” Bezos wrote.

He added that he and his wife, Lauren Sánchez, were grateful to have known Parton and praised the singer for lifting people up through “her music, her generosity, and her joy.”

“Sending our sincere condolences to her family and everyone she touched,” he wrote.

The message did not go over well with everyone.

“Nobody needed or wanted to hear this from you,” one commenter fired back.

Another joked that Parton looked like she was telling Bezos to “give to charity.”

Others went even further, contrasting Parton’s famous philanthropy with Bezos’ staggering wealth.

One commenter argued that Parton could have become far richer during her lifetime but instead repeatedly chose to give back to others.

The backlash soon turned into calls for Bezos to make a massive donation in Parton’s memory.

Several commenters specifically pointed to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, the beloved literacy program that provides free books to children.

“Donate $100 billion to the Imagination Library in her honor,” one person demanded.

Another asked, “Nice IG post. Did you donate to the Imagination Library?”

“A large donation to one of her causes would be the perfect way to honor her,” another commenter wrote.

But Bezos’ history with Parton makes the criticism more complicated.

The billionaire previously gave Parton his $100 million Courage and Civility Award in November 2022, allowing her to direct the enormous sum toward charitable causes of her choosing.

Bezos praised Parton at the time for her generosity and her ability to bring people together.

Parton’s Imagination Library was among the charitable efforts that could benefit from the money.

The reading program has distributed millions of books to children and became one of the singer’s most celebrated causes.

The organization depends heavily on charitable support and partnerships, particularly as government funding has faced cuts in some states.

Parton’s death was announced August 25 by her nephew Bryan Seaver, who said he was speaking on behalf of the Parton and Owens families.

Seaver said Parton had asked him years earlier to make the announcement when the time came.

“This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality,” he said.

Seaver, who served as Parton’s head of security for more than two decades, described announcing her death as both an honor and an incredibly painful moment.

“It is an honor that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness,” he said.

But he added that the sadness belonged to those Parton left behind.

“Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus,” Seaver said, adding that she was surely reunited with her late husband Carl Dean, her parents and other loved ones.

Parton reportedly died following a brief battle with cancer.

Now, as tributes continue pouring in for one of country music’s most beloved stars, Bezos has learned that even a seemingly simple goodbye can ignite a firestorm online.