Dolly Parton Dies at 80: Country Music Legend Passes Away in Nashville
- Dolly Parton's nephew Bryan Seaver confirmed her death on her official social media accounts on Tuesday
- The 11-time Grammy winner had spoken openly about health struggles for over a year, including postponing and later cancelling a planned Las Vegas residency
- Parton's death comes just over a year after she lost her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, who died in March 2025
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Dolly Parton, one of the most beloved figures in the history of American music, has died at the age of 80.
Source: Instagram
Her passing was confirmed on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, through a video announcement posted to her official social media accounts, delivered by her nephew Bryan Seaver on behalf of the Parton and Owens family.
"I'm representing the Parton and Owens family today announcing the passing of my aunt, Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean, Sister, Sis and Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next," Seaver said in the video.
She died in Nashville, Tennessee, though no cause of death has been disclosed.
Dolly Parton's final years and health struggles
Parton had been candid with fans about her deteriorating health over the past year. In September 2025, she revealed she required "a few procedures," which led to the postponement of a Las Vegas residency that was ultimately cancelled altogether in May.
When Dollywood opened its 2026 season in March, she appeared before fans and admitted she had been "worn down and worn out," attributing her condition to both her medical challenges and the grief of losing Carl Dean, her husband of nearly 60 years, who passed away in March 2025 at age 82.
The country icon leaves behind a career spanning seven decades, built on an extraordinary catalogue that includes Jolene, 9 to 5," and I Will Always Love You.
Over that time, she accumulated 11 Grammy Awards and cemented her status as a songwriter of rare and enduring talent.
Dolly Parton's legacy beyond music
Parton's influence extended well beyond the recording studio. She built a substantial entertainment and hospitality empire centred on Dollywood, her beloved theme park in Tennessee, and established herself as a successful actress, producer and playwright across her career.
Her philanthropic work, however, may prove to be amongst her most lasting contributions.
Through the Dollywood Foundation, she established the Imagination Library in 1995, a programme that has distributed nearly 308 million free books to children in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada and Australia.
The initiative became a defining part of her public identity, earning her admiration that transcended the music world.
To her fans, Parton was far more than a country star. She was a constant, a warmth, and in their own words, Saint Dolly.
She is survived by the extraordinary legacy of everything she gave to music, to children, and to the world.
See the Instagram video announcing of Dolly Parton's passing
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Source: YEN.com.gh
