Dolly Parton has died at age 80.
The country music star, actress, activist, author and global icon died in Nashville.
The news was announced in a statement from the PR firm True Public Relations, which included a video message from Parton’s nephew, Bryan Seaver.
Parton was scheduled to begin a Las Vegas residency in December 2025, but it was postponed until September due to unnamed health procedures.
The shows were canceled in May as she continued to focus on her health. In March, she made a public appearance at her Dollywood theme park to give a speech during an anniversary celebration.
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Parton was born on Jan. 19, 1946, in Locust Ridge, Tennessee. Her big break came in 1967 when she was featured on country singer Porter Wagoner’s TV show until 1974.
Listen to Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers’ ‘Islands in the Stream’
Her hit song, “I Will Always Love You,” was written about Wagoner when she left his show to go solo.
She starred in the movies 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Straight Talk. In 1986, she opened the popular Dollywood theme park in the Smoky Mountains.
In 1987, Parton hosted her own TV variety show.
Listen to Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’
She charted more than 100 country hits, including more than two dozen No. 1 hits, in her career.
Parton has earned Grammy awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in 2011; induction into the C&W Hall of Fame; the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; and a Kennedy Center honor.
Alex Wong, Hulton Archive, Getty Images
Her husband of 59 years, Carl Thomas Dean, died in 2025. A week after his death, she released the song “If You Hadn’t Been There,” one of her final singles.
What Songs Is Dolly Parton Best Known For?
Parton’s career started in 1959 with the single “Puppy Love.” In 1966, she had her first Top 25 country hit, “Dumb Blonde.”
Watch Dolly Parton’s ‘9 to 5’ Video
From there, her career took off, first as a duet partner with Wagoner, and then as a solo artist who placed dozens of songs on the country chart as well as several on the pop charts, including the No. 1 singles “9 to 5” and “Islands in the Stream,” a duet with Kenny Rogers.
Among her classic albums are Coat of Many Colors (1971), Jolene (1974), Here You Come Again (1977) and Trio, a 1987 Grammy-winning LP made with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris.
What Were Dolly Parton’s Achievements?
In addition to being known as the Queen of Country, Parton’s long career included Emmy Awards, Academy Award nominations, Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award.
Listen to Dolly Parton’s ‘I Will Always Love You’
She has sold more than 100 million records globally and has released more than 50 albums over the past 60 years, including the 2023 LP Rockstar, in which she covered songs by the Police, Journey, Heart and Bob Seger. The album reached No. 3, her highest-charting LP on the Billboard albums chart.
Parton was also a well-known humanitarian, founding charitable organizations such as the Dollywood Foundation, which supports education and alleviates poverty in her home region of East Tennessee. She also supported LGBTQ+ rights.
According to the statement, “At Dolly’s request, a small, private service will be held for immediate family.”
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