Dolly Parton, one of the most influential figures in country music and a global entertainment icon, has died at the age of 80.
25 Aug 2026, 21:17
| Updated: 1h ago
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Her death was announced on Tuesday, August 25, by her family, with her nephew Bryan Seaver sharing the news in a video on her official social media accounts.
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The family said Parton died peacefully in Nashville. No cause of death has been announced.
In his tribute, Seaver described the announcement as one of “absolute pride and great sadness”, adding that Parton had opened doors not only for her own family, but for generations of singers, songwriters, musicians and dreamers.
Parton had spoken publicly about health issues over the past year and had cancelled a planned Las Vegas residency earlier in 2026.
Just days before her death, she said she was still working and still had “so many things” she wanted to achieve.
From rural Tennessee to global stardom
Born in Tennessee in 1946 as one of 12 children, Parton grew up in a poor farming family and began singing in church as a child.
She moved to Nashville after finishing school and initially found work as a songwriter before launching her own recording career.
Her breakthrough came through her partnership with country star Porter Wagoner in the late 1960s, before she established herself as a major solo artist.
Over the following decades, Parton became one of country music’s most successful and recognisable performers, with songs including “Jolene”, “9 to 5”, “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You”.
The latter became one of her best-known compositions and later reached an even wider audience when Whitney Houston recorded it for The Bodyguard in 1992.
Parton went on to achieve 25 number-one singles on the US country chart and sold more than 160 million albums worldwide during her career.
Success beyond music
Her career also extended to film and television.
Parton starred alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in the 1980 comedy 9 to 5, with the title song becoming a major crossover hit.
She later appeared in films including The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Rhinestone, Steel Magnolias and Joyful Noise.
She also enjoyed success as a producer and businesswoman, including through the creation of the Dollywood theme park in Tennessee.
Over the years, Parton received numerous honours, including multiple Grammy Awards, induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Kennedy Center Honors and the National Medal of Arts.
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Alamy
A major philanthropic legacy
Alongside her entertainment career, Parton became widely known for her charitable work.
Her Imagination Library, launched in 1995, has distributed millions of free books to young children in the United States and internationally, inspired in part by her father’s inability to read or write.
She also supported disaster relief, medical research and other causes, including a $1 million donation to Vanderbilt University Medical Center that helped fund research linked to the development of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine.
Parton frequently said that she wanted her success to be useful to others, with philanthropy becoming an important part of her legacy.
A life and career that continued into her final years
Despite health challenges, Parton remained creatively active well into her 70s.
She released the rock album Rockstar in 2023 and remained involved in several projects, including an autobiographical musical about her life and a symphonic production built around her songs.
Her husband of almost 60 years, Carl Dean, died in March 2025.
Parton later spoke openly about the loss, describing theirs as a lifelong love story.
Reflecting on her future shortly before turning 80, Parton said she still felt she was “just getting started” and hoped to continue creating work that could live on after her.
That legacy now spans music, film, television, business and philanthropy, with a catalogue of songs and a public image that made her one of the most recognisable and beloved entertainers of her generation.
