Dolly Parton, country music icon, dies aged 80

Country music icon Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80, her family has announced. The 11-time Grammy-winning artist, best known for her genre-defining hits including “9 To 5”, “I Will Always Love You” and “Jolene”, “died peacefully” on Tuesday in Nashville, Tennessee, according to a statement released by her PR team. Parton’s nephew revealed the news in a video posted to her Instagram page. Tributes have poured in for the American musician, actress, author and philanthropist, including from Donald Trump, who announced that flags would be lowered for a week throughout the United States in Parton’s honour. “There has never been anyone like her, and never will,” the US President said in a post on his Truth Social account. “This is a true loss for millions of people,” he continued. “In her honor, I am lowering the American flag throughout the United States for a one-week period beginning tonight at 6:00pm. Rest in Peace, Dolly! The World loves you.” Among other tributes to the late singer on Tuesday evening, Sir Elton John called Parton “a giant of an artist – unique and irreplaceable, with the kindest heart”, adding in a post to his Instagram story that he was “shocked and devastated” to hear of her passing. In a video shared to Parton’s Instagram account on Tuesday, the singer’s nephew and head of security announced her death by saying: “My name is Brian 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. Flowers placed on Parton’s star at the Walk of Fame Park in Nashville after news broke of her passing on Tuesday (Photo: George Walker IV/AP) Seaver added: “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.” “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 to meet her in the heavens.” Parton’s husband Carl Dean died last year. https://www.instagram.com/p/DceNXgPJyZ9/ Continuing his video statement, Seaver said: “I first went on the road with Dolly as a kid, getting a taste of the road life in the early 1980s. 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 is possible. She never saw a door she couldn’t open, and the doors she opened made and changed history. “My family and I have shared a lifetime of beautiful memories with Dolly, but so have you. 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. He concluded: “Our family and the team she has entrusted with her legacy will work 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. Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because after a life of wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest. “Rest in peace, Aunt Dolly — Aunt, Granny, Gigi. May God bless Dolly Parton, and may God bless you all. She will always love you.” The musician wrote “I Will Always Love You” – one of the defining love songs of the 20th century – as a goodbye to her former creative partner Porter Wagoner, who hired her to be his sidekick on The Porter Wagoner Show and helped her land a record deal. The song became a blockbuster hit when Whitney Houston recorded a cover for the 1992 film The Bodyguard. Parton poses for a photo at her office in Nashville in 2005 (Photo: AP) In May, Parton pulled out of a highly anticipated Las Vegas residency, which was due to begin in September. She had already postponed her six-date run at The Colosseum Theatre at Caesars Palace from December 2025 to deal with “health challenges”. In a video message at the time, she said she had been “responding really well to meds and treatments” and “improving every day”, citing a longtime struggle with kidney stones and adding: “I’ve still got some healing to do, but I am on my way!” At Parton’s request, a small, private funeral service will be held for immediate family, a statement on social media said. “Dolly’s fans and friends from around the world are encouraged to pay tribute to Dolly on social media by tagging @DollyParton or by leaving a message at www.dollyparton.com,” it continued. In lieu of flowers her family asks for donations to be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at imaginationlibrary.com. ‘We have lost an angel’ – tributes pour in for ‘magnificent’ star Parton Parton’s own film career began in 1980 when she starred in 9 To 5 with Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. Her theme song for the movie became her first No 1 single on the Hot 100 chart in the US. Fonda said she was “devastated” by her former co-star’s passing, adding: “Dolly will always be with us because she was so present, so powerful, so generous and playful that she is woven into all our lives and hearts forever.” Parton ,left, Lily Tomlin, center, and Jane Fonda at the premiere of their film, 9 To 5, in New York on 14 December, 1980 (Photo: Richard Drew/AP) Tomlin posted a broken heart emoji on Instagram with the message: “No words…”, accompanied by a black and white photograph of the actresses stood together smiling, in response to the news of Parton’s death. Parton’s other notable film appearances include The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas alongside Burt Reynolds, Rhinestone with Sylvester Stallone, and Steel Magnolias with Julia Roberts and Sally Field. Posting a photograph of the pair with fellow cast members, Oscar-winning actress Field said the earth had lost an angel following Parton’s death. “If there are truly angels on earth, then we have just lost one. Dolly Parton,” she said. “There will never be another. I adored her with all my heart and will always cherish our time together. Forever. Rest in peace beautiful Dolly.” Parton’s 1973 track “Jolene” is widely considered to be one of country music’s greatest songs. It was covered by Beyoncé on her 2024 album Cowboy Carter, which won the album of the year Grammy. Parton and Burt Reynolds at the premiere of their film, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, in Austin on 12 July, 1982 (Photo: Ted Powers/AP) Parton was born in a single-room cabin in Locust Ridge, Tennessee, in 1946, as the fourth of 12 children and began her musical journey at the age of six, singing in the local church where her grandfather was the pastor. By the age of 13, she had reached the pinnacle of country music success: an appearance at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee – country music’s most well-known venue. The venue paid tribute to the late singer on Instagram, saying: “It is with the heaviest of hearts that we say goodbye to a true country music icon, Opry member Dolly Parton. “There is no doubt Dolly’s mark on the world, and on us here at the Grand Ole Opry, will be deeply felt for generations to come. “She taught us to always lead with kindness, generosity, and compassion. May her legacy live on through her songs, the lives she touched, and the countless artists she inspired. There will never, ever be another one like her. We will always love you, Dolly.” Over the course of her career, which spanned more than 60 years, Parton sold more than 100 million records worldwide, and wrote more than 3,000 songs, including hits “Coat of Many Colours” and “Joshua”. She was a savvy businesswoman, with an empire including a theme park to her name, but also a pioneering philanthropist. Her Imagination Library, a book-gifting programme devoted to inspiring a love of reading in children, has given more than 270 million books to children in need. The programme was started by Parton in 1995, inspired by her father, who could not read or write. Parton reads her book, Coat of Many Colors, at the Library of Congress in Washington DC in 2018 (Photo: Andrew Harnik/AP) Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney said he was “deeply saddened” by the news of Parton’s passing, posting on X: “In Scotland, her Imagination Library inspired a love of reading and provided thousands of free books for children. Her warmth, generosity and her music were truly one of a kind. My thoughts are with her family and friends.” Education Secretary Lucy Powell, meanwhile, said in a post on X that Parton, “a true legend whose influence reached far beyond music”, had “sparked a lifelong love of reading in kids around the world”. Rest in peace, Dolly Parton. A true legend whose influence reached far beyond music – through the Imagination Library, she put millions of books into children's hands and sparked a lifelong love of reading in kids around the world. That gift to children and education will…— Lucy Powell MP (@LucyMPowell) August 25, 2026 Harry Potter author JK Rowling said Parton had made “the best contribution to child literacy ever made by a celebrity”, adding in her own post on X: “Our paths crossed once, in the 90s, backstage at a talk show, and I was completely tongue-tied and starstruck. RIP Dolly. You were a complete, irreplaceable one-off.” Parton was also a supporter of a number of charities for black and LGBTQ+ communities, as well as the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, Save the Music Foundation and the Boot Campaign. Parton at the launch of Imagination Library, her children’s literacy scheme, at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham, South Yorkshire in 2007 (Photo: Rui Vieira/PA) In 2020 she donated one million dollars (£733,000) to coronavirus research at Vanderbilt University, which helped fund Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine and in 2022 received the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy, which honours innovative philanthropists. She opened her theme park, Dollywood, in 1986. The location in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, has hosted a theme park since July 1961. It is currently the biggest ticketed tourist attraction in Tennessee and the largest provider of jobs in Sevier County. Parton appears at Dollywood’s Season Passholder and Media Day in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee in 2024. (Photo: AP/Invision) A musical about Parton’s life, Dolly: A True Original Musical, is due to begin previews on Broadway later this year before opening night in January 2027, on what would have been Parton’s 81st birthday. Of the show, the passion project of her final years, Parton said in a statement last month: “My whole life has been a musical. A grand ole opera really and I can’t wait to present it to you on Broadway. I hope you enjoy watching as much as I’ve enjoyed livin’ it.” A statement released by Parton’s PR team on Tuesday read: “Global icon and humanitarian, Dolly Parton, known to the world as a beloved singer, songwriter, philanthropist, actress, playwright, and author died peacefully today in Nashville, Tennessee. She was 80 years old. “Dolly is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 59 years Carl Thomas Dean (1942-2025), her mother Avie Lee Caroline Owens (1923-2003), and father, Robert Lee Parton, Sr (1921-2000). “A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family. Dolly Parton’s legacy is one of love, compassion, and resilience. With a seven-decade career, she inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place.” Joining the tributes to the American music icon on Tuesday was US Senator Bernie Sanders, who called Parton “one of the great entertainers of our era” but also “a lifelong philanthropist and advocate for literacy, education, LGBTQ+ rights, healthcare and disaster relief”. Actress Jamie Lee Curtis said: “Thank you, Dolly. For all of it.” Country singer Keith Urban said he was “heartbroken” while fellow country music star Kacey Musgraves wrote in a series of posts on X: “Dolly. This really hurts. The world feels a lot less sparkly all of a sudden. So glad she’s with her Carl Dean. No one talk to me today.” Sir Paul McCartney posted on Instagram a photo of him with Dolly Parton, and said: “The magnificent star Dolly Parton has died and it is so sad. “She was such a wonderful woman. I first met her in Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry where she had been playing with the country star Porter Wagoner and was about to start her solo career. She was so bubbly and full of life, it is difficult to take in the news that she has passed. “Her songwriting, her singing and her philanthropy were unrivalled in the world of country music and it is hard to imagine living in a world without Dolly.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Dcef26-l432/?img_index=1 Sir Paul and fellow Beatle Sir Ringo Starr featured on Parton’s version of Let It Be on her final album Rockstar in 2023, and he added: “There was no greater honour for me than to have her sing my song, Let It Be and, even though I only made a small contribution to it, I am so honoured that she did it. I am so proud to have known her and admire her unique talents. “Thanks Dolly for the beautiful music you gave me and the whole world. We will always love you, god bless and rest in peace. You were the best.” In the UK, Jo Whiley introduced her BBC Radio 2 evening show by playing “I Will Always Love You”, “Jolene” and “9 To 5” in tribute to Parton after the singer’s death was announced in the 7pm news headlines. Whiley said she was “taken aback” by the news and “so sad”, adding that Parton’s 2014 Glastonbury legends slot was “one of the most incredible performances”. Parton performs on the Pyramid Stage on the final day of Glastonbury Festival 2014 (Photo: Leon Neal/AFP) “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that field fuller,” Whiley said, adding that she interviewed Parton at the festival and recalled “she was so kind and so lovely”. Hannah Roper, the director of the UK Country Music Association, said Parton’s legacy in music and philanthropy “will never be forgotten.” “Dolly Parton was far more than a brilliant songwriter and performer, her generosity through the Imagination Library touched millions of lives worldwide,” she said in a statement on behalf of the organisation’s board. “Her work ethic, determination and spirit served as a blueprint for generations of artists. While her voice and personality will be deeply missed, her legacy will never be forgotten. The UK country community feels this loss immensely as our members reflect on the inspiration she gave us all.” This is a breaking news story that has been updated.