Dolly Parton dies at 80

By Johnson Arua

American country music icon, Dolly Parton, has died at the age of 80.

Parton’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, announced her death on her Instagram account on Tuesday, August 25, saying he was making the announcement on behalf of the Parton and Owens families. No cause of death was immediately disclosed.

Seaver, who served as Parton’s head of security for more than two decades, said the legendary singer had asked him years ago to announce her death when the time came.

The announcement came days after Parton revealed that she had been dealing with health challenges. In an interview with People magazine published on August 21, she said she was recovering but remained determined to continue working on several projects.

Parton had also sought to reassure fans about her health last year when she released a video message in which she declared, “I ain’t dead yet.”

Born in 1946 in a one-room cabin in Pittman Center, Tennessee, Parton was the fourth of 12 children. Raised in poverty, she was introduced early to the musical traditions of the Smoky Mountains and began singing in church at the age of six.

She taught herself to play the guitar at seven and performed publicly throughout her childhood. At 13, she made her debut at the Grand Ole Opry, where she met country music legend Johnny Cash.

After graduating from high school in 1964, Parton moved to Nashville to pursue music professionally. Her breakthrough came in the late 1960s when she joined The Porter Wagoner Show, establishing a successful musical partnership with Porter Wagoner and emerging as one of country music's leading stars.

Parton recorded her first solo No. 1 country hit, Joshua, in 1971 and went on to produce a remarkable catalogue of songs, including Coat of Many Colors, Jolene and I Will Always Love You.

The latter became a global phenomenon after Whitney Houston recorded it for the 1992 film The Bodyguard, introducing Parton's songwriting to an even wider international audience.

Her success crossed into mainstream pop and Hollywood in the late 1970s and 1980s with hits such as 9 to 5 and Islands in the Stream. Her starring role alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in the 1980 comedy 9 to 5 further cemented her status as a Hollywood star.

The title song became her first to top the country, pop and adult contemporary charts simultaneously.

Over a career spanning more than six decades, Parton topped the Billboard country charts 25 times and won 11 Grammy Awards, 10 Country Music Association Awards and four People’s Choice Awards. She was inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Beyond music and acting, Parton built an extensive business and entertainment empire. She founded Dollywood, the popular theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, while also developing ventures in hospitality, television, film and publishing.

Her acting credits included 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias, Reba, The Simpsons and Hannah Montana.

But Parton's influence extended far beyond entertainment. Through the Dollywood Foundation, she established Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, a literacy programme that provides books to children.

She also became renowned globally for her philanthropy and support for charitable causes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for research that contributed to the early development of the Moderna vaccine.

Parton was also known for her advocacy of acceptance and equality, including her support for LGBTQ+ causes.

Her personal life was closely associated with her husband, Carl Dean, whom she married in 1966. The couple remained married for nearly 59 years until Dean died in March 2025 at the age of 82. They had no children, although Parton helped raise some of her younger siblings and remained deeply involved with her extended family.

She was also the godmother of pop star Miley Cyrus, with whom she performed on several occasions.

Despite advancing age and health challenges, Parton remained professionally active in her final years, continuing to release music, develop television and film projects and oversee her business and philanthropic initiatives.

Her death brings to a close the life of one of America's most influential entertainers, whose remarkable career transcended country music to encompass Hollywood, business, literature, philanthropy and popular culture.

Parton leaves behind a vast catalogue of songs that have become part of the global musical canon, as well as a humanitarian legacy that is likely to endure for generations.