Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80, her family has confirmed. The country music icon's nephew, Bryan Seaver, announced her death in an emotional video tribute, describing the star as a beloved aunt, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother.
Family tribute
Seaver, the son of Dolly's sister Cassie Parton, said he was speaking on behalf of the Parton and Owens families to announce the death of "my Aunt Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean". He said: "Sister, sis, Aunt Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next."
"This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago before I fully absorbed it as a future reality. As her head of security for more than two decades, a role my father Larry held before me, I have imagined the heaviness of this moment, but haven't truly felt it until now."
Musical legacy
Seaver said he first joined Parton on the road as a child in the early 1980s and paid tribute to the impact she had on both her own family and generations of musicians and fans around the world. "Dolly opened doors, not just for me, but for her entire family to reach the potential we didn't even know was possible," 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."
Final resting place
Seaver shared a poignant memory of a conversation with his aunt about her final resting place. "Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because after a life wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest."
Seaver concluded: "Rest in peace, Aunt Dolly. Aunt Granny. Gigi. May God bless Dolly Parton, and may God bless you all. She will always love you."
Recent health struggles
Parton's death comes after the loss of her beloved husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Thomas Dean, in March 2025 following a long illness. The singer had also sparked concern among fans after being forced to postpone a planned Las Vegas residency from December to September before later cancelling the shows because of health issues.
In a video message to fans, Parton said she was responding well to treatment but admitted it would take time before she was ready to return to the stage. She said: "I am here to give you an update in a few things in my life. First, it's concerning my health and I have some good news and a little bad news but the good news is I'm responding well to meds and treatments and I am improving every day."
"The bad news is it's gonna take me a little while before I'm up to stage level because some of the meds and treatments make me a little bit swim-headed as my grandma used to say." The star added that she could not perform while feeling dizzy, joking that carrying banjos and guitars in five-inch heels and heavy rhinestone outfits would make anyone feel "swim-headed".
Parton said she had long struggled with kidney stones and that her immune and digestive systems had also been affected, but insisted she was continuing to work on several projects. "The truth is I am still working, videos, recording, I go up and down to Dollywood and I'm working hard on getting my hotel and museum open," she said. "And I'm spending a lot of time working on my Broadway musical."
Career highlights
Born in Tennessee, Parton went on to become one of the most recognisable and successful entertainers in the world during a career spanning more than six decades. She discovered her love of music as a child and recorded her first single, Puppy Love, in 1959 when she was just 13 years old.
Initially marketed as a pop singer, Parton fought to establish herself in country music, with her first country single, Dumb Blonde, released in 1966. She soon joined Porter Wagoner on his hugely popular television show, appearing in 218 episodes and recording a string of successful songs with the country star.
Their complicated professional relationship was later said to have inspired Parton's 1974 classic I Will Always Love You, which went on to become a global hit again when Whitney Houston recorded her version. Parton's solo career continued to soar with hits including Here You Come Again, You're The Only One, Heartbreaker and But You Know That I Love You.
Over the years, she became one of the most decorated performers in music history, winning 10 Grammys and 13 Academy of Country Music Awards, while also earning an Emmy and receiving a Tony nomination and two Oscar nominations. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022 and was honoured by the Academy with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2025.
Parton also enjoyed a successful acting career, appearing in films and television shows including Steel Magnolias, Gnomeo & Juliet, The Beverly Hillbillies and The Simpsons. Her death marks the end of an extraordinary career that saw the girl from rural Tennessee become a global superstar, philanthropist and one of the most enduringly loved figures in music.
