Country music legend Dolly Parton, who wrote hit songs like Jolene and I Will Always Love You, has died aged 80, her family announced on social media.
Parton crossed into pop with albums like 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs (1980), tied to her starring role in the film 9 to 5.
Her business acumen shone with the 1986 opening of Dollywood, a Tennessee theme park celebrating her Appalachian roots, now a major tourist draw.
A prolific philanthropist, her Dollywood Foundation supports literacy, donating millions of books via Imagination Library.
Parton died as one of the most-honoured female country performers of all time, with her many awards including 11 Grammys and three Emmys, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, six Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award.
She recorded 48 studio albums throughout her lifetime, with over 100 millions records sold worldwide.
Dolly Parton’s career at a glance
Long before she was known as the “Queen of Country”, Dolly Parton was born in 1946 in Sevierville, Tennessee.
Raised in poverty, she began performing as a child, singing on local radio by the age of 10.
At 13, she recorded her first single, Puppy Love, and appeared at the Grand Ole Opry, a regular live country-music radio broadcast originating from Nashville, marking her early ambition.
After moving to Nashville in 1964, she gained traction as a songwriter, with hits like Put It Off Until Tomorrow covered by others.
Her breakthrough came with appearances on Porter Wagoner’s long-running musical variety show (1967–1974), boosting her visibility.
Her solo career then soared with the 1974 songs Jolene and I Will Always Love You (later covered to further acclaim by Whitney Houston), showcasing her storytelling and emotional depth.
Parton postponed shows in October due to health reasons
Dolly Parton was forced to postpone her Las Vegas residency at the end of last year due to unspecified health issues.
Her sister asked fans to pray for the country singer, with Parton revealing she needed “a few procedures” to deal with ongoing “health challenges”.
“Last night, I was up all night praying for my sister, Dolly,” Freida Parton wrote on Facebook in October. “Many of you know she hasn’t been feeling her best lately.”
“Godspeed, my sissy Dolly. We all love you!”
After shocked fans took to social media expressing worry about Parton’s health, Frieda said: “I want to clear something up. I didn’t mean to scare anyone or make it sound so serious when asking for prayers for Dolly.
“She’s been a little under the weather, and I simply asked for prayers because I believe so strongly in the power of prayer. It was nothing more than a little sister asking for prayers for her big sister.”
Parton had been scheduled to perform six shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in December.
Her Las Vegas stint would have been her first visit to the Strip since the 1990s, when she performed alongside her Islands In The Stream duet partner, Kenny Rogers.
Parton was also forced to pull out of a Dollywood event in September after being diagnosed with a kidney stone that she said was causing “a lot of problems”.
‘Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration’: Full statement from Parton’s family
Bryan Seaver, son of Cassie Parton, Dolly’s sister, announced the death of his aunt in a post on her Instargam video.
“This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality,” he says.
“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.
“It is an honour, an honour that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness. But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly.
“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 says Dolly “opened doors not just for me, but for her entire family to reach the potential we didn’t even know was possible”.
“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 door she opened made and changed history.”
‘A farmer like her daddy’
He says everyone has shared “beautiful memories with Dolly” over the years.
“She has always been on your television, your record player, your CD, and on your phone playlist, becoming an extended part of your family, whether you liked it or not.
“Our family and the team she has entrusted with her legacy worked diligently to ensure her spirit will live with us forever.
“Dolly was a farmer, just like her daddy. He farmed the soil. She farmed songs and happiness.”
He adds: “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.”
