Dolly Parton, the legendary American country music singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman and philanthropist, has died at the age of 80.
Parton died on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee, with her nephew and longtime head of security, Bryan Seaver, announcing the news in an emotional video shared on her official social media platforms.
The announcement came just four days after Parton spoke publicly about ongoing health challenges and said she was still determined to work on the projects she had left to complete. Her death has brought an end to one of the most remarkable careers in the history of American entertainment.
Seaver said the announcement was something Parton had asked him to make years earlier, knowing that he might one day have to publicly announce her death.
Representing the Parton and Owens families, Seaver described his aunt as a sister, aunt, grandmother and great-grandmother figure to different generations of the family. He also reflected on his more than two decades working as her head of security, a position previously held by his father.
The family has not publicly disclosed Parton’s cause of death.
Her passing came amid growing concern about her health. In an interview published on August 21, Parton revealed that she had been dealing with health problems and acknowledged that she had neglected some of her own health while caring for her husband, Carl Dean, before his death in March 2025.
Parton, however, remained characteristically optimistic during the interview, insisting that she was still working and had more ambitions to pursue. She said she intended to continue working for as long as she could and wanted to see her remaining projects become reality.
The health concerns had already forced Parton to withdraw from several public appearances and postpone professional commitments. Reports said she had experienced issues including dizziness and dehydration, while previous health problems had also affected her ability to perform and travel.
Despite those setbacks, Parton continued to remain active creatively. She had been involved in projects spanning music, television, business and theatre, maintaining the extraordinary work ethic that had defined much of her seven-decade career.
A Career That Transformed Country Music
Born in rural Tennessee in 1946, Parton grew up in a large family with limited financial resources. Music became an important part of her childhood, with her mother introducing her to traditional songs and her family environment helping shape the sound that would eventually make her famous.
She began singing publicly as a child and performed on local radio and television before making her Grand Ole Opry debut as a teenager. After graduating from high school in 1964, she moved to Nashville to pursue music professionally.
Her career accelerated after she became a regular performer on The Porter Wagoner Show. Her partnership with Porter Wagoner helped introduce her to a wider country audience and played an important role in establishing her as a recording artist.
Parton eventually emerged as a major solo star, producing songs that became staples of country music and popular culture.
Among her best-known compositions were “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You.”
“I Will Always Love You,” which Parton originally recorded herself, became an international phenomenon after Whitney Houston recorded a version for the 1992 movie, The Bodyguard. Houston’s rendition introduced Parton’s songwriting to an entirely new generation and transformed the song into one of the most recognisable ballads in modern music.
Parton’s catalogue also included “9 to 5,” the title song from the 1980 comedy film in which she starred alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. The song became a major crossover success and helped establish Parton as more than a country music star.
Her achievements on the charts were extraordinary. Parton holds the record for the most No. 1 songs on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart by a female artist, with 25 chart-toppers. Other sources tracking her broader Billboard history put her total number of No. 1 country songs at 26 depending on the chart classification used.
She also earned 11 Grammy Awards and numerous other honours during a career that repeatedly crossed the boundaries between country, pop, rock, gospel and bluegrass.
Parton was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999 and later entered the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, cementing her status as an artist whose influence extended far beyond one musical genre.
From Country Star To Hollywood Icon
Parton’s success was not limited to music.
Her role in 9 to 5 established her as a Hollywood actress, and she later appeared in films including The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Rhinestone and Steel Magnolias.
She also ventured into television and production, appearing in projects such as Hannah Montana, where she famously worked with her goddaughter, Miley Cyrus.
Parton’s relationship with Cyrus became one of the more visible family connections in her later career. She frequently expressed admiration for the younger singer and spoke warmly about the possibility of Cyrus portraying her in a future biographical film.
Her influence also reached Broadway. Parton wrote the music and lyrics for 9 to 5: The Musical, earning a Tony Award nomination for her work.
She later expanded her creative ambitions into other areas, including television projects, books and new music.
The Businesswoman Behind Dollywood
Parton’s entrepreneurial career became almost as significant as her entertainment work.
She founded Dollywood, the famous theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, turning her connection to her home region into a major tourism and entertainment enterprise.
The Dollywood brand eventually expanded into other attractions, hospitality and entertainment ventures, creating thousands of jobs and drawing visitors from around the world.
Her business interests demonstrated another side of Parton’s personality: she was not simply an entertainer but also a highly strategic businesswoman who understood how to build a lasting brand around her name and values.
Parton also co-founded Sandollar Productions, which became involved in film and television projects, further demonstrating her ability to operate behind the scenes as well as in front of the camera.
A Legacy Of Philanthropy
Perhaps one of Parton’s most enduring contributions came outside the entertainment industry.
Through the Dollywood Foundation, she established Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a literacy programme that provides free books to children.
The initiative grew into a major international literacy effort, reflecting Parton’s longstanding belief that children should have access to books regardless of their family’s financial circumstances.
She also supported healthcare, disaster relief and numerous charitable causes.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Parton donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center to support medical research, with the contribution helping fund early-stage research connected to the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
Her humanitarian work earned her widespread respect beyond the music industry.
Parton was also known for speaking about inclusion and acceptance, including support for LGBTQ+ people and other marginalised communities. Her public persona combined humour, warmth and self-confidence with a willingness to use her influence to support causes she believed in.
Personal Life And Final Years
Parton’s personal life was closely connected to Carl Dean, whom she married in 1966. The couple remained together for nearly six decades until Dean died in March 2025 at the age of 82.
Although they did not have children of their own, Parton remained closely involved with her extended family and helped care for younger relatives.
Dean’s death deeply affected Parton, and she later acknowledged that she had spent so much time caring for him that she had neglected some of her own health needs.
Even after his death, however, Parton continued working.
Her final years were marked by an extraordinary mixture of reflection and ambition. She remained involved in new music, entertainment projects, business ventures and plans connected to her life story.
Only days before her death, she spoke about recovering from her health difficulties while continuing to pursue her goals.
That determination became a defining feature of her public image.
Parton’s journey from a poor childhood in Tennessee to international fame, Hollywood success, business ownership and global philanthropy made her one of the most recognisable Americans of her generation.
She sold more than 100 million records worldwide and wrote thousands of songs during a career that lasted more than seven decades.
Her music crossed generations, while her distinctive appearance, humour, storytelling ability and generosity turned her into a cultural institution.
Dolly Parton’s death at 80 therefore represents more than the loss of a celebrated country singer. It marks the passing of an entertainer who built an extraordinary career from humble beginnings and used her success to create opportunities for others.
From “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” to “9 to 5,” from Dollywood to the Imagination Library, Parton’s influence extended across music, film, business, literature and philanthropy.
She leaves behind a body of work that has already become part of American cultural history — and a legacy that is likely to endure for generations.