Country music legend Dolly Parton, the larger-than-life superstar behind “Jolene,” “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You,” has died at the age of 80.
Parton’s family announced the heartbreaking news Tuesday, Aug. 25, in a video shared on her social media accounts. Her nephew Bryan Seaver delivered the announcement.
The Tennessee-born singer leaves behind one of the most extraordinary careers in American entertainment, spanning more than six decades and transforming a girl who grew up “dirt poor” in a tiny mountain cabin into the undisputed Queen of Country Music.
Parton sold more than 100 million records worldwide, wrote thousands of songs and became one of the most recognizable entertainers on the planet.
But behind the rhinestones, towering blonde hair and famously quick wit was a songwriter responsible for some of the most enduring music of the past half-century.
Born Jan. 19, 1946, in rural Tennessee, Parton was the fourth of 12 children and grew up in a two-room cabin near the Great Smoky Mountains.
Her father worked as a sharecropper and farmer, while her mother filled the family home with old folk songs and stories that would later help shape Parton’s unmistakable songwriting style.
Music came early.
By 13, Parton had already performed at Nashville’s legendary Grand Ole Opry. After graduating from high school in 1964, she packed her belongings and moved to Nashville the very next day to chase her dream.
It worked.
Her debut album, “Hello, I’m Dolly,” arrived in 1967, the same year she joined country star Porter Wagoner’s popular television show.
The partnership made her a household name, but Parton eventually wanted to strike out on her own.
Her goodbye to Wagoner inspired “I Will Always Love You,” one of the most famous songs she ever wrote.
Nearly two decades later, Whitney Houston turned the song into a global phenomenon with her powerhouse version for “The Bodyguard.”
Then there was “Jolene.”
The desperate plea to another woman not to steal her man became one of the most instantly recognizable country songs ever recorded and helped push Parton far beyond Nashville.
By the late 1970s, she had crossed over into mainstream pop music with “Here You Come Again,” her first million-selling album.
Hollywood soon came calling.
Parton made her movie debut alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in the 1980 workplace comedy “9 to 5.”
She also wrote and performed the unforgettable title song, which shot to No. 1 and earned her an Academy Award nomination.
More movie roles followed, including “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” and the beloved Southern tearjerker “Steel Magnolias.”
She also teamed up with Kenny Rogers for the 1983 smash “Islands in the Stream,” another career-defining hit.
Outside music and movies, Parton built an empire.
In 1986, she became involved with a Tennessee theme park that was transformed into Dollywood, turning the attraction into one of the South’s biggest tourist destinations.
Yet for all her fame and fortune, Parton became just as celebrated for giving money away.
Her Imagination Library has provided hundreds of millions of free books to children around the world. She also donated to medical research, disaster relief and other charitable causes, including funding connected to development of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Parton was awarded the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy in 2022 for her decades of charitable work.
Her private life was remarkably low-key compared with her flashy public persona.
Parton married businessman Carl Dean in 1966 after meeting him when she was just 18.
Dean famously avoided the spotlight throughout their marriage, leading Parton to joke that some people wondered whether he even existed.
The couple remained together for nearly 60 years until Dean died in March 2025 at age 82.
Parton struggled with health issues during the final stretch of her life.
She postponed and later canceled a planned Las Vegas residency and missed several appearances while dealing with medical problems.
Just days before her death, however, Parton told fans she was still recovering and working, saying she had neglected some of her own health while caring for Dean before his death.
The comments made Tuesday’s news especially stunning for fans.
Parton won 11 Grammy Awards during her career and was inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
But her influence went far beyond trophies.
She became a rare figure who seemed to belong to everyone — country fans, pop fans, movie lovers and generations of Americans who grew up hearing her unmistakable voice.
From a tiny Tennessee cabin to sold-out stages around the world, Dolly Parton lived the kind of rags-to-riches story that sounded almost too perfect to be true.
And through it all, she never stopped reminding people where she came from.
The Queen of Country may be gone, but songs like “Jolene,” “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You” ensure Dolly Parton’s voice will be heard for generations.
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I am sorry to hear that. I think she got more attractive with age. We will all miss her
So very sorry to here this . My
Eyes are brimming with tears. A real great Lady & performer !