Singer, songwriter, producer, businesswoman, and humanitarian Dolly Parton has died at age 80. The country western artist best known for her songs “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” and “I Will Always Love You” as well as her career on the silver screen in films such as 1980’s 9 to 5, 1982’s The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and 1989’s Steel Magnolias.
Her death was announced by her nephew, Bryan Seaver, on Parton’s social media on Tuesday (August 25) in a video.
“Sister, sis, and Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next, this video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I realized the reality of it,” he said. “I imagined the heaviness of this moment for years… It is an honor, an honor that is mixed with pride and great sadness.”
Born Dolly Rebecca Parton on January 19, 1946, in Sevierville, Tennessee, Parton was the fourth of 12 children born to Avie Lee Caroline and Robert Lee Parton Sr. She began her singing career at a young age when she would perform as a child, nabbing her first professional gig at age 13 on The Cas Walker Show.
Her initial success in the music business came as a songwriter. Early in her career, her songs were performed by the likes of Kitty Wells, Bill Phillips, and Hank Williams Jr., to name a few. She didn’t find her own success behind the mic until 1967, when country music host Porter Wagoner invited Parton on his television show as the featured female vocalist. It would eventually become the launchpad for her national career.
Together, Dolly and Porter recorded a string of successful duets, including “The Last Thing on My Mind,” “Please Don’t Stop Loving Me,” and “Just Someone I Used to Know.” After racking up a string of hits, Parton left Wagnor in 1974, penning “I Will Always Love You” as a farewell to Wagoner and the partnership that helped launch her.
Following her departure, Parton had a string of hit singles, crossing over to mainstream success. In 1978, Parton won a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for her Here You Come Again album. She also co-hosted several television specials at this time, including 1978’s Fifty Years of Country Music for CBS, 1979’s The Seventies: An Explosion of Country Music for NBC. In 1979, she received an Emmy nomination for her guest spot on a Cher special.
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Parton made her film acting debut in 1980 opposite Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in the film 9 to 5. In addition to starring in a hit film, her title song for the film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. It would go on to win two Grammys, one for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and the other for Best Country Song.
In 1982, she starred opposite Burt Reynolds in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, which featured a re-recorded version of “I Will Always Love You.” In 1992, the ballad was re-recorded by Whitney Houston for the film The Bodyguard.
In addition to her talents as a songwriter, singer, and actress, Parton was also a producer. The co-owner of Sandollar Productions with former manager Sandy Gallin, the duo produced the Oscar-winning documentary Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt (1989), as well as the films Father of the Bride (1991) and its sequel, Straight Talk (1992), and the TV sensation Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Widely hailed for her humanitarian work, Parton has spent her career promoting literacy through her Dollywood Foundation. Her literacy program, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, has mailed over 270 million free books as of early 2025. Earlier, the program celebrated distributing its 200-millionth book.
Backed by her own profits, Parton’s Dollywood Foundation has revitalized a once-depressed area, creating jobs and boosting local tax revenue. Beyond that, she has devoted her time and resources to a wide range of causes, from the American Red Cross to HIV/AIDS charities.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Parton donated $1 million towards research, which funded the development of the Moderna vaccine.
Parton was preceded in death by her husband, Carl Dean, who passed away in March 2025, just two months before the couple would have celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary.