TD NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Legendary singer-songwriter, actress and philanthropist Dolly Parton, one of the most influential figures in country music history, has died at the age of 80.
Parton’s death was announced Tuesday by her nephew, Bryan Seaver, in a video statement shared on Instagram.
Seaver, the son of Parton’s sister Cassie, said the announcement was something his aunt had asked him to make years ago.
He did not disclose the specific cause of death.
“Dolly has lived in the light,” Seaver said, describing her as being at peace and reunited with her late husband, family members and loved ones.
The death comes after months of health concerns that had forced Parton to scale back her public activities and ultimately cancel a planned Las Vegas residency.
Parton had acknowledged in August 2026 that she was dealing with health problems that had worsened following the death of her husband, Carl Thomas Dean, in March 2025.
She said at the time that she was receiving treatment but remained determined to continue working.
Her Las Vegas residency had already been postponed because of health challenges before being canceled in May 2026.
Parton had previously reassured fans that she was responding well to medication and treatment and was improving.
Dolly Parton: A career that transformed country music
Born on January 19, 1946, in Tennessee, Parton grew up in a large, poor family and began singing and writing songs as a child.
She moved to Nashville after graduating from high school in 1964 and quickly established herself as a songwriter and performer.
Her breakthrough came when country star Porter Wagoner invited her to join The Porter Wagoner Show in 1967.
She subsequently built a hugely successful solo career.
Among her most famous songs were “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” “Coat of Many Colors,” “Here You Come Again” and “I Will Always Love You.”
The latter became an international phenomenon after Whitney Houston recorded it for the 1992 film The Bodyguard.
Parton also became a major Hollywood figure, starring in films including 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Steel Magnolias.
Her performance and songwriting helped make her one of the few country artists to achieve sustained success across music, film and television.
An extraordinary list of honors
During her career, Parton received numerous major awards, including Grammy Awards, Country Music Association awards, Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy and Kennedy Center Honors.
She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
She also received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
Beyond entertainment, Parton became internationally recognized for philanthropy.
Her Dollywood Foundation’s Imagination Library provides free books to children, while her charitable work has supported communities affected by disasters, education initiatives and medical research.
Following the 2016 Tennessee wildfires, her My People Fund raised and distributed more than $12 million.
She also donated $1 million toward COVID-19 vaccine research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Dolly Parton: legacy beyond music
Parton was also the driving force behind Dollywood, the major Tennessee theme park that became both a tourist attraction and an important vehicle for her philanthropic work.
Her personal life was closely associated with Dean, whom she married in 1966.
The couple remained married for nearly six decades until his death on March 3, 2025.
Parton never had children of her own but maintained close relationships with her siblings, nieces and nephews, describing their children as being like her grandchildren.
With her death, country music loses one of its most recognizable voices and prolific songwriters — an artist whose influence extended far beyond Nashville into Hollywood, business, philanthropy and popular culture.
Dolly Parton was 80.
