Country music icon, songwriter, actress and philanthropist Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80, bringing an end to a remarkable career that spanned more than six decades and made her one of the most influential figures in global entertainment.
Parton’s family announced her death on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. She died in Nashville, Tennessee. Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, confirmed the news in a video shared through Parton’s official social media accounts. A small, private funeral service is expected to be held for immediate family members.
The cause of death was not immediately disclosed. Tributes have since poured in from musicians, actors, politicians and admirers around the world, celebrating Parton’s extraordinary contribution to music, film and philanthropy.
Actor Pedro Pascal described her as “one of one”, while actor Seth MacFarlane, who worked with Parton when she appeared on The Orville, praised her kindness, generosity and authenticity.
Fashion designer Donatella Versace also mourned the singer, describing her as a true music legend, while US Senator Bernie Sanders remembered her as both an exceptional musician and songwriter and a lifelong philanthropist.
Parton’s remarkable story began in poverty in rural Tennessee. Born on January 19, 1946, she was raised alongside 11 siblings in a one-room cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains. Her father, Robert Lee Parton, worked as a farmer, while her mother, Avie Lee, introduced her children to traditional folk and gospel music.
Music became part of Parton’s life from an early age. She began singing in church when she was about six and was appearing on local television before reaching her teenage years.
At 13, she made her debut at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, setting her on a path that would eventually make her one of the biggest names in country music.
After high school, Parton moved to Nashville to pursue music professionally and gradually established herself as a gifted songwriter and performer.
Parton wrote some of the most recognisable songs in popular music, including “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You.”
“I Will Always Love You” later reached an even wider audience when Whitney Houston recorded it for The Bodyguard soundtrack.
Over a career spanning decades, Parton wrote an estimated 3,000 songs and sold more than 100 million records worldwide. She won 11 Grammy Awards and earned numerous other honours for her contribution to music.
Her influence extended well beyond country music. She became a successful actress, starring in films including 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias while her music crossed into pop and other genres.
She also created Dollywood, the hugely popular theme park in her native Tennessee, turning her Appalachian roots into part of a major entertainment enterprise.
For all her success in music and film, Parton’s legacy extended far beyond entertainment. She founded the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a literacy initiative that provides free books to children. The programme has distributed more than 150 million books worldwide.
Parton also supported education, healthcare, disaster relief and medical research.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she donated $1 million to research at Vanderbilt University, funding that contributed to the development of the Moderna vaccine.
Her philanthropy became one of the defining features of her public life, earning her admiration from people far beyond the country music community.
Parton’s appeal crossed generations, cultures and musical genres. Her distinctive voice, songwriting ability, humour, flamboyant appearance and self-deprecating personality helped make her a cultural icon. Yet beneath the glitter and glamour was an artist who consistently drew inspiration from her humble Appalachian upbringing.
Her life became one of entertainment’s most enduring rags-to-riches stories: a girl raised in a one-room cabin who went on to sell more than 100 million records, write thousands of songs, become a Hollywood star and build a major business empire.
From the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee to stages around the world, Dolly Parton turned hardship into music, success into opportunity and fame into service.
Her songs will endure, but so too will the millions of children who received books, the communities she supported and the generations of artists she inspired.
