Legendary country singer Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80, her family has confirmed. Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, announced the news on Instagram, saying she had been welcomed by "the arms of Jesus."
In a video message, Seaver, the son of Cassie Parton, said it was an "honour" mixed with "great sadness" to share the news.
Nephew's emotional tribute
"Hey everyone, my name is Bryan Seaver, son of Cassie Parton, and I am representing the Parton and Owens family today, announcing the passing of my Aunt Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean," he said. "Sister, sis, Aunt Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next."
Seaver, who served as her head of security for more than two decades, a role his father Larry held before him, said the announcement was something Parton had asked of him years ago. "It is an honour, an honour that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness. But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly," he said. "Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents, and countless others who have watched her and longed for her to meet them in the heavens."
He recalled first going on the road with Parton as a kid in the early 1980s, and described how she opened doors for her family and for generations of singers, songwriters, musicians, and dreamers. "She never saw a door she couldn't open, and the doors she opened made and changed history," he said.
Health struggles and Las Vegas cancellation
Parton's death comes after she lost her 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 December to September, before confirming she would cancel the shows over health issues.
In an Instagram message, 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." She explained that some medications made her "swim-headed" and that she had problems with kidney stones, her immune system, and her digestive system. "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.
A legendary career and legacy
The Tennessee native first recorded the single Puppy Love in 1959, aged 13. After being marketed as a pop singer, she rebranded in the country genre with her first country single, Dumb Blonde, in 1966. She later teamed up with Porter Wagoner, appearing in 218 episodes of his TV series, and their professional relationship was said to be the inspiration behind her 1974 hit I Will Always Love You, later covered by Whitney Houston.
Parton became one of the most decorated singers in history, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. She won 10 Grammys, 13 Academy of Country Music Awards, an Emmy, and received a Tony nomination and two Oscar nominations. In 2025, she was honoured with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian award.
She also appeared 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 founded Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, a book gifting programme for children in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and Ireland. "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," she said.
Parton kept her relationship with Carl Dean private. The couple met on the day she moved to Nashville, started dating in 1964, and married two years later. After his death, she wrote: "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."
