Country music icon Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80, according to multiple reports, ending a six-decade career that made her one of the most influential singer-songwriters in music history.
Parton’s death was reportedly announced by her nephew, Bryan Seaver, in an Instagram post on Tuesday.
“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,” Seaver said.
Parton rose from humble beginnings in rural Tennessee to become one of country music’s biggest stars, selling more than 100 million records worldwide and earning the title “Queen of Country.”
She was known for songs including Jolene, 9 to 5 and I Will Always Love You, while her songwriting catalogue included more than 3,000 songs.
Parton won 11 Grammy Awards during a career that also saw her become a successful actor, businesswoman and philanthropist.
Born on January 19, 1946, in a two-room log cabin beside the Little Pigeon River in Tennessee, Parton was the fourth of 12 children.
Her father was an illiterate sharecropper who later became the owner of a small tobacco farm, while her mother introduced Parton to traditional folk music.
Parton described her childhood family as “dirt poor” but credited her mother with giving her a love and understanding of traditional folk ballads, while her father instilled a strong work ethic.
She began performing as a child and, by the age of 13, had appeared on radio and television programmes in East Tennessee.
That same year, she performed at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and recorded her first single, Puppy Love.
After graduating from high school in 1964, Parton moved to Nashville the following day to pursue a career in music.
She released her debut album, Hello, I’m Dolly, in 1967 and joined The Porter Wagoner Show, where she was mentored by country star Porter Wagoner.
The pair recorded several successful albums together before Parton decided to pursue a solo career.
In 1973, Parton wrote I Will Always Love You following her professional separation from Wagoner.
The song became a major hit for Parton and later achieved global success when Whitney Houston recorded it for the 1992 film The Bodyguard.
Around the same period, Parton wrote Jolene, which became another of her signature songs.
Both tracks featured on her 1974 album Jolene, which helped expand her audience beyond the country music scene.
Her 1977 album, Here You Come Again, became her first record to sell one million copies and earned her first Grammy Award after almost a decade of nominations.
Parton expanded her career into acting in 1980, making her film debut alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in the workplace comedy 9 to 5.
She also wrote and performed the film’s title song, which reached number one and earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.
The success established Parton as a Hollywood star, leading to roles in films including The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas in 1982, Steel Magnolias in 1989 and Joyful Noise in 2012.
She also developed a business empire that extended beyond entertainment.
Among her ventures was Dollywood, the Tennessee theme park in which she acquired an interest and renamed in 1986.
Parton was also widely recognised for her philanthropy, particularly through the Dollywood Foundation’s Imagination Library, a programme focused on promoting childhood literacy.
She supported medical research, disaster relief and other charitable initiatives throughout her life.
In 2020, she donated $1m towards COVID-19 vaccine research.
She was awarded the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy in 2022.
Explaining her approach to giving, Parton said: “I just give from my heart. I never know what I’m going to do or why I’m gonna do it. I just see a need and if I can fill it, then I will.”
Concerns about Parton’s health became public in September 2025 when she postponed her Las Vegas residency.
She had also withdrawn from several public appearances in recent weeks amid ongoing health issues.
Her death comes months after the death of her husband of almost six decades, Carl Dean.
Dean died in March 2025 at the age of 82.
The couple married in 1966 and remained together for nearly 60 years.
Parton leaves behind a legacy spanning country music, songwriting, Hollywood, business and philanthropy, with songs that have continued to influence generations of performers around the world.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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