Dolly Parton, the iconic country music singer-songwriter behind hits like "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You," has died at the age of 80. Her team confirmed that she died after being diagnosed with cancer, and tributes are pouring in from around the world.
The news was revealed by her nephew, Bryan Seaver, in a video. He said: "Dolly also opened doors for generations of singers, songwriters, musicians, and dreamers from every walk of life and across every continent. By her example, we believed that anything was possible. She never saw a door she couldn’t open, and the doors she opened made and changed history."
Private funeral and public tributes
At her request, "a small, private service will be held for immediate family," her team said. Fans are encouraged to make donations to her charitable Imagination Library in her memory.
President Donald Trump ordered flags to be lowered across the US, saying: "There has never been anyone like her, and never will."
Stars honor her memory
Oprah Winfrey shared that one of her fondest memories with Parton was "having a hoot and a holler while wearing Bob Mackie gowns on her show Dolly." She added: "No one like her. She brought the light, and we are all better because she was here."
Sabrina Carpenter wrote on Instagram: "I will cherish our laughter and conversations and I will keep your wisdom, your playful outlook on life, and perfect sense of humor in my pocket for the rainy days. There will never be another you and how lucky are we all to have experienced your singular magic as well as your once in a lifetime voice, songs, and heart."
Paul McCartney reflected: "The magnificent star Dolly Parton has died and it is so sad. She was such a wonderful woman. I first met her in Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry where she had been playing with the country star Porter Wagoner and was about to start her solo career. She was so bubbly and full of life it is difficult to take in the news that she has passed. Her songwriting, her singing and her philanthropy were unrivaled in the world of country music and it is hard to imagine living in a world without Dolly."
Jane Fonda, her co-star in the 1980 film "9 to 5," said she was "devastated" and added: "Dolly will always be with us because she was so present, so powerful, so generous and playful that she is woven into all our lives and hearts forever."
Her final wishes and legacy
A statement on her official Instagram said she "died peacefully today in Nashville, Tennessee" and paid tribute to a "rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see." The statement noted she was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Carl Thomas Dean (1942–2025), her mother Avie Lee Caroline Owens (1923–2003), and her father Robert Lee Parton, Sr. (1921–2000).
Parton had been admitted to hospital on Friday, 21 August, according to reports. In her final statement, just four days before her death, she told PEOPLE magazine: "I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl."
Over 50,000 people have signed a petition to rename Nashville International Airport in her honor, and the Empire State Building is set to turn pink for her tonight. A 20,000 square foot museum, the 'Life of Many Colors Museum,' was set to open in her 'SongTeller Hotel' in Nashville, though no official opening date has been confirmed.
