Dolly Parton, one of the world’s most beloved human beings who also happened to be a world-class entertainer, author, actor and philanthropist, has passed. “TMZ” reported that Dolly was admitted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville early Friday morning with kidney and autoimmune issues, passing away yesterday morning.
Dolly embodied every superlative attached to her name: superstar, trailblazer, inspiration, icon, legend. Her influence has been felt by generations of women performers who battled the male-dominated world of entertainment, often beating those who would relegate her and other women to “second tier” status at their own game. Dolly Parton was 80. In response to the news, President Donald Trump has ordered that all US flags be flown at half-staff for a week.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT
The news was broken by Brian Seaver, Dolly’s nephew and chief of security. In a video posted to her official Instagram account, Seaver said:
“My name is Brian Seaver, son of Cassie Parton, and 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,” he says in the video. “This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality. As her head of security for more than two decades, a role my father Larry held before me, I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven’t truly felt it until now.”
Seaver added: “It is an honor, an honor that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness. But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly. Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents and countless others who have watched her and longed to meet her in the heavens.” See the video to the right.
DOLLY’S EARLY LIFE
Born in Pittman Center, Tennessee on January 14, 1946, Dolly Rebecca Parton was the fourth of 12 children who lived in a one room cabin, in an upbringing Dolly described as “dirt poor.” She often attributed her business savvy to her illiterate father, and her musical ability to her mother. After graduating from Sevier County High School in Sevierville, Tennessee in 1964, Parton moved to Nashville the next day. The day after that, she met Carl Dean outside a laundromat; two years later they were wed. Her marriage to the reclusive Dean, who shunned the spotlight, lasted 59 years, until he passed in March 2025. Dolly had said in several interviews that she had neglected her own health while taking care of her husband in his final years.
HER MUSIC AND ACTING CAREER
She began her musical career as a pop singer at the insistence of her first record label, though she repeatedly asked to record country music. While she put out several pop singles that flopped, her country music career as a songwriter was flourishing, scoring several country hits with songs written for Skeeter Davis, Bill Phillips, Kitty Wells and others. Eventually, Monument Records allowed her to start recording for the country music market. Her first single, “Dumb Blonde,” hit #24 on the country charts in 1967, and Dolly Parton the country singer was born.
It was that same year that her partnership with country legend Porter Wagoner began. He invited Dolly to join “The Porter Wagoner Show,” offering her a regular spot on his weekly syndicated television program and in his road show. For the next six years, Dolly and Porter would release a series of country duets that would regularly land in the country Top Ten. By 1970, Dolly’s solo singles would finally start to click; she scored a #3 hit with “Mule Skinner Blues” in 1970. This was followed by her first #1, “Joshua,” later that year.
By 1974, Dolly had outgrown her partnership with Wagoner, leaving the show and winding down their recording partnership. That same year, she wrote “I Will Always Love You” about her split from him. The song hit #1 on the country charts, but also showed Parton’s business savvy for the first time. Elvis Presley expressed interest in recording the song, which Dolly was excited about, until his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, told her that it was standard procedure for the songwriter to sign over half of the publishing rights to any song recorded by Presley. Despite the obvious boost to her career such a deal would be, Dolly refused, retaining the rights for a song that would become one of the biggest singles in history, hitting #1 on the country charts twice for Dolly, as well as becoming a global smash for Whitney Houston on the pop charts in 1992.
After going out on her own, Dolly Parton’s star continued to rise, scoring 10 country #1s in the 70s, and crossing over to the pop charts, where “Here You Come Again” hit #3 in 1977. More pop hits would follow in the 80s, with Dolly hitting #1 on the pop charts with 1980’s “9 To 5” and her smash duet with Kenny Rogers, “Islands In The Stream,” in 1983.
The 80s would also see Dolly branching out into acting. She debuted alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in the hit 1980 comedy “9 To 5,” following that with roles in “The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas,” “Rhinestone,” “Steel Magnolias” and more. Her acting garnered her Golden Globe nominations for both “9 To 5” and “TBLWIT,” while her song “9 To 5” earned Dolly her first Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. (Her song “Travelin’ Thru” would also earn her an Oscar nom for 2006’s “Transamerica”).
Dolly was dominant on the country charts through the early 90s, scoring her last country #1 with her 1991 Ricky Van Shelton duet, “The Rocking Years,” though she continued to occasionally chart for decades after that. Her album “Rockstar,” featuring duets with rock stars on their signature tunes, was a surprise smash, hitting #1 on the country album chart while going gold and reaching #3 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart in 2023.
Dolly was inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, which she initially tried to turn down, stating her country background made her feel ineligible for the honor. She eventually walked that back, graciously accepting induction, saying “This has, however, inspired me to put out a hopefully great rock ‘n’ roll album at some point in the future, which I have always wanted to do! My husband is a total rock ‘n’ roll freak, and has always encouraged me to do one.” She would deliver on that promise, leading to the release of “Rockstar” the following year. See her performance of “Rockin'” at the 2022 Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony to the right.
HER BUSINESS CAREER
Many credit Dolly’s smart choice to retain her rights to “I Will Always Love You” as the beginning of her business career, as that one decision earned her millions of dollars. Building on that, her lucrative recording and acting careers gave her the financial base to pursue other business opportunities.
Early on, as she embarked on her music career, she formed OwePar Publishing, in an effort to retain the rights to her early music publishing, a move that showed Dolly was an astute businesswoman in the making. Once her career blossomed and she was well-established, she opened Dollywood in 1986, a 165-acre theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee that recently celebrated its 40th anniversary and is a top tourist destination, drawing millions. Two years later, she formed The Dollywood Foundation, which would later spawn her Imagination Library, a book-gifting program that mails one free, age-appropriate book each month to children from birth until their fifth birthday to inspire the love of reading. Other notable business ventures:
Doggy Parton – a dedicated line of pet apparel, accessories, and toys
Dolly Parton Baking Kits – an extensive line of southern-style baking mixes and food products
Dolly Beauty – Dolly’s cosmetic line, launched in 2024
Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop – an expected franchise of themed travel centers and truck stops; the first opened in June off Interstate 65 in Cornersville, Tennessee
Dolly Parton’s SongTeller Hotel – a boutique hospitality and museum experience in downtown Nashville, opening in October
DOLLY PARTON THE AUTHOR
Dolly was also a prolific author, publishing over a dozen books that spanned the biographical, children’s books, cook books and a collab with novelist James Patterson.
HER PHILANTHROPIC CAREER
In later years, Dolly became as known for her charitable works as she had been for her music career. Beginning with her Dollywood Foundation in 1988, which would spawn her Imagination Library, Dolly’s career of giving is legendary. A partial list of her charitable works:
The Eagle Mountain Sanctuary at Dollywood: a 30-thousand square foot aviary managed by the American Eagle Foundation
The Dolly Parton Scholarship: Offering $15-thousand college scholarships annually to five Sevier County high school seniors each year
The My People Fund: A 2016 telethon and charity providing $1,000 monthly stipends to displaced families after devastating East Tennessee wildfires
In 2017, donated $1-million to the Monroe Carell Jr. Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital
In 2020, she donated $1-million to coronavirus research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, supporting research that aided the development of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine
In 2021, Dolly raised $700-thousand for victims of Middle Tennessee flooding
In 2022, she Announced that the Dollywood Co. would cover 100-percent of tuition, fees, and books for its employees; donated an additional $1-million to Vanderbilt for pediatric infectious disease research
In 2024, Dolly contributed $1-million toward Hurricane Helene relief in East Tennessee through the Mountain Ways Foundation, matched by an additional $1-million from her businesses and foundation
HER HEALTH STRUGGLES
Last September, Dolly canceled an appearance at Dollywood for the theme park’s 40th anniversary celebration, citing illness. In the months that followed, she was rarely seen, showing up via video at various events where she was scheduled to appear, including:
- Dollywood’s NightFlight Expedition Announcement (September 2025): she addressed attendees via prerecorded video after kidney stone complications prevented her from traveling to Pigeon Forge.
- The Academy Governors Awards (November 2025): Provided a virtual acceptance speech via video from Nashville to accept her honorary Oscar
- Dollywood’s NightFlight Expedition Attraction Opening (August 14, 2026): Appeared virtually wearing fairy/butterfly wings from Nashville after doctors advised her against traveling due to dizziness and dehydration
- 19th ACM Honors (August 19, 2026): Her final video appearance, shared to Instagram to accept the ACM Poet’s Award just a week ago.
At the time of her passing, Dolly was still firing on all cylinders. She was actively working on “Dolly: A True Original Musical,” a Broadway play about her life and career; “The Life of Many Colors Museum,” (which will go on, as stated in a message from the producers yesterday after Dolly’s passing)and a digital avatar, a tech upgrade for when she couldn’t appear somewhere physically.
In tribute,
Dolly Parton was a unicorn, a singular force of nature of which there is no equal and, sadly, never will be. She will be deeply missed.
