Dolly Parton, legendary singer-songwriter and cultural icon, has died at 80
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Parton became a symbol of country music and humanitarian efforts, as her career spanned music, film, television and even a theme park named after her.
Dolly Parton, one of country music’s most beloved icons, who recorded notable hits including “9 to 5,” “I Will Always Love You” and “Jolene,” among other singles, has died.
Her nephew, Brian Seaver, revealed news of her passing in an Instagram video uploaded on Tuesday (Aug. 25).
“My name is Brin Seaver, son of Cassie Parton, and I’m representing the Parton and Owens family today announcing the passing of my aunt, Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean, Sister, Sis and Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next,” he says in the video. “This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality. 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.”
He added: “It is an honor, an honor 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 to meet her in the heavens.”
On Friday (Aug. 21), Parton shared an update regarding her health, recognizing that she had undergone a decline after the death of her husband of more than sixty years, Carl Dean. Dean passed away in March 2025.
At the time, she stated she said she had “more to achieve.”
“As I’ve shared in video messages throughout the past year, I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl. You know, this isn’t the first time I’ve had to manage something like this. Back in the early ’80s, I was down for several months with female issues, and I was struggling with my weight at the time too, so it’s not like I haven’t been through hard times with my health,” Parton told PEOPLE.
She added, “I’m still healin’, I’m still workin’! You know me — as I’ve often said — I’ve dreamed myself into a corner and I still have so many things I want to achieve, so I’m gonna keep on working as long as I can to see everything come to life.”
Parton revealed there were plans for a museum in her honor despite her health being a major topic. In May, she revealed her Las Vegas residency would be canceled amid health concerns.
“I am truly sorry that I’m going to miss all of you that had tickets to see me in Las Vegas. Well, you get on to Vegas, and you have a big time…And I’ll see you somewhere down the line,” she said in a social media post announcing the cancellation.
The best-selling female country singer of all time, Parton endeared herself to her Black fans by personally asking Whitney Houston to cover her 1972 single, “I Will Always Love You,” as an ode to her former creative partner, Porter Wagoner. The song had previously hit No. 1, but it became one of the biggest songs of all time thanks to Houston’s cover for the film “The Bodyguard.”
“When Whitney did ‘I Will Always Love You,’ Lord, I mean, that thing generated so much music,” Parton told Harry Connick Jr. in 2017. “And somebody, there was a tabloid story saying that Whitney and I were in a big feud, she said it was her song and I said it was mine. None of that was ever true. I was so flattered, so honored, and so lucky that she did it.”
Parton would later invest the royalties from Houston’s cover in an office building in a predominantly Black sector of Nashville, Tennessee.
“It was mostly just Black families and people that lived around there,” Parton told Andy Cohen in 2021. “It was a whole strip mall. And I thought, ‘This is the perfect place for me to be, considering it was Whitney.’”
She added, “I just thought, ‘This was great. I’m going to be down here with her people, who are my people as well.’ And so I just love the fact that I spent that money on a complex. And I think, ‘This is the house that Whitney built.’ “
A similar major cover happened when Beyoncé covered “Jolene” for her “Cowboy Carter” album in 2024. Parton also appeared on the album with a nod to the Houston singer. The album went on to win Album of the Year at the Grammys.
Parton was also an actress, starring in films such as “The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas,” “9 to 5,” “Steel Magnolias,” and “Joyful Noise.”
In total, Parton was an Emmy Award winner, an 11-time Grammy Award winner and earned two Academy Award nominations. She was also awarded an honorary Oscar for her contributions to film and music. She leaves behind a legacy of philanthropy, country music, and a commitment to giving back, including her Imagination Library. This literacy program delivered free books to young children each month and became one of the world’s largest children’s literacy initiatives.