Country music legend Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80, it has been confirmed. The singer, best known for hits including Jolene, 9 to 5 and I Will Always Love You, passed away surrounded by family, with tributes pouring in from fans and fellow artists.
Parton's death comes after she lost her beloved husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Thomas Dean, in March 2025, following a long illness. She recently sparked concern when she was forced to postpone her planned Las Vegas residency from last December to September, before confirming that she would instead cancel the shows over health issues.
Health update and cancellation
In a message on Instagram, the singer 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.”
She added: “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 and of course I can't be dizzy carrying around banjos and guitars and such on five-inch heels, not to mention all those rhinestone outfits, my big hair my big, uh, personality, that would make anyone swim-headed.
“I've always had problems with my kidney stones, my immune system and my digestive system got all out of whack and they're working real hard on building and re-strengthening those. Hopefully I'll be up to snuff again soon.”
A career spanning decades
The Tennessee native commanded an impressive decades-long career and first found her passion for music at a young age, recording the single Puppy Love in 1959, when she was just 13. She was initially marketed as a pop singer before fighting to rebrand in the country genre, with her first country single, Dumb Blonde, hitting the airwaves in 1966.
Shortly after, she teamed up with Porter Wagoner and landed a coveted slot on his eponymous TV series, appearing in 218 episodes. The pair went on to release a string of hits together, including The Last Thing On My Mind. Their professional relationship was said to be the inspiration behind her 1974 hit I Will Always Love You, which was later covered by Whitney Houston.
After this, her solo career soared with releases such as Here You Come Again, You're The Only One, Heartbreaker and But You Know That I Love You.
Awards and philanthropy
Parton became one of the most decorated singers in history, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. She landed 10 Grammys, 13 Academy of Country Music Awards, an Emmy win, as well as a Tony nomination and two Oscar nominations. In 2025, she was honoured by the Academy with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
She also showcased her talents on screen, appearing in films and TV shows including Steel Magnolias, Gnomeo and Juliet, The Beverly Hillbillies, and a cameo in The Simpsons.
Away from the spotlight, she became known for her charity efforts, mainly through her Dollywood Foundation. She founded the literacy programme Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, a book gifting initiative aimed at inspiring young children to enjoy reading in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and Ireland. Through the project, children receive a “high quality, age appropriate book” every month until they turn five, at “no cost to the family”.
She said of the programme: “I created the Imagination Library as a tribute to my Daddy. He was the smartest man I have ever known but I know in my heart his inability to read probably kept him from fulfilling all of his dreams.
“Inspiring kids to love to read became my mission. In the beginning, my hope was simply to inspire the children in my home county but here we are today with a worldwide program that gives a book a month to well over 3 million children.”
Personal life and marriage
While much of Parton's life was spent in the spotlight, she kept her relationship with late husband Carl Dean behind closed doors. The couple famously met by chance on the day she moved to Nashville, and it was said to be “love at first sight”. They started dating in 1964 and tied the knot two years later.
“My mother made me a little white dress and a little bouquet,” she previously told CMT of their nuptials. “But I said, 'I can't get married in a courthouse because I'll never feel married.' So we found a little Baptist church in town, and went up to Pastor Don Duvall and said, 'Would you marry us?' We got pictures on the steps right outside the church.”
Last year, she shared the news of his death with fans, penning the statement: “Carl Dean, husband of Dolly Parton, passed away March 3rd in Nashville at the age of 82. He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending. He is survived by his siblings Sandra and Donnie.
“Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can't do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy. The family asks for privacy during this difficult time.”
In a follow-up, she added: “Thank you for all the messages, cards, and flowers that you've sent to pay your respects for the loss of my beloved husband Carl. I can't reach out personally to each of you but just know it has meant the world to me. He is in God's arms now and I am okay with that. I will always love you.”
