The singer-songwriter behind “Jolene,” “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You” built a seven-decade career spanning country, pop, Hollywood, television, business and philanthropy — becoming one of America’s most enduring cultural figures.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. | Aug. 25, 2026 | Dolly Parton, the rhinestone-clad singer, songwriter, actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist whose extraordinary journey from rural Tennessee poverty to international superstardom made her one of the most recognizable entertainers in American history, has died. She was 80.
Parton died peacefully Tuesday in Nashville, according to a statement from her family. Her nephew Bryan Seaver announced her death in a video shared through Parton’s official social-media account on behalf of the Parton and Owens families. A cause of death was not immediately disclosed.
The announcement brought to a close a remarkable seven-decade career that stretched far beyond country music. Parton became a crossover recording star, Hollywood actress, television personality, producer, businesswoman and philanthropist while maintaining an image and public persona that were unmistakably her own.
Her family remembered a woman whose influence extended well beyond the stage.
“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,” the family's obituary said.
Parton leaves behind a catalog that became part of the American songbook: “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors,” “9 to 5,” “Here You Come Again,” “Islands in the Stream,” and perhaps most significantly, “I Will Always Love You.”
But her legacy cannot be measured by hit records alone.
From Dollywood and Hollywood to children's literacy programs and international stages, Parton transformed celebrity into an unusually durable cultural institution.
