Dolly Parton's team has said the legendary singer 'worked right up until her death' as they offered an update on a string of projects she was working on before her passing.
The country music icon's death, at the age of 80, was announced by her nephew, Bryan Seaver, who also served as her head of security, on Tuesday (August 25) evening via a video shared on Instagram. Parton was best known for her genre-defining hits, including 9 to 5, I Will Always Love You and Jolene. Parton's beloved husband, Carl Dean, also died last year, aged 82.
Brief battle with cancer
Her publicist, Marcel Pariseau, later said she died after a "brief battle with cancer". Following the family's announcement, he said: "After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Centre surrounded by loved ones."
In an update on Wednesday (August 26) evening, her team said that it was "ensuring her millions of fans around the world that they will continue bringing to life her multitude of projects that were in development".
Project roadmap
"Dolly worked up until the day she died. She loved seeing her dreams come to life, and loved knowing her work brought people joy. Ever the planner, Dolly worked with the team that she handpicked, for the past several years to build a project roadmap that will guide us for decades to come," her longtime manager, Danny Nozell, said in a statement.
"As the leader of the team responsible for overseeing her legacy, we will ensure the many dreams she had yet to fulfill are brought to life. Many projects were in various stages of development, and we want to be transparent with her fans about this fact. If you see unreleased music, products, books, experiences, and campaigns launched through official Dolly Parton channels, you can have confidence in knowing that she placed her personal stamp on it."
Active projects at time of passing
Some of the active projects at the time of her passing include:
- Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stops (celebrating National Truck Driver Appreciation Week beginning September 13, 2026)
- Dolly Parton’s SongTeller Hotel (stays begin September 14, 2026, before a grand opening on September 29, 2026)
- Dolly Dolls (launching online September 15, 2026)
- Dolly’s Life Of Many Colors Museum (grand opening September 29, 2026)
- Dolly’s Cup Of Ambition Coffee
- Dolly On The Holly (Coming Christmas 2026)
- DOLLY: A True Original Musical On Broadway
- Kendra Scott x Dolly - The 9 to 5 Collection (launching January 2027)
- Dolly’s Dog Treats (Coming early 2027)
- Dolly Bedding & Home Decor (Coming in late 2027)
Additional projects, such as a Dolly avatar show, which she revealed just a week before her death, a Dolly Musical documentary, a Dolly biopic, a Dolly docuseries, a Dolly scripted series, a Billy The Kid animated series, and many more, will also be revealed soon, her team has said.
Tributes and honours
Miley Cyrus led tributes to her "angel" godmother, after frequently citing the queen of country as a deeply meaningful figure in her life. She joined the biggest names in music, including Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Mick Jagger, Taylor Swift and Beyonce, in detailing her impact and her legacy, as both a musician and a humanitarian.
The Band of the Coldstream Guards played 9 To 5, one of her biggest hits, on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace during Changing the Guard on Wednesday (August 26). Meanwhile, landmarks around the US were lit up pink in her honour, including the Empire State Building in New York, the Willis Tower in Chicago and the Pacific Park Ferris Wheel in Los Angeles.
