By Midtown Times Staff
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Midtown Times) — Dolly Parton, the celebrated singer-songwriter who rose from poverty in Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains to become one of country music’s most influential and beloved performers, died Tuesday at age 80.
Parton died peacefully in Nashville after a brief battle with cancer, according to her representatives. She was surrounded by loved ones at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.
Her nephew, Brian Seaver, announced her death in a video shared on Parton’s Instagram account on behalf of the Parton and Owens families. Seaver said his aunt had asked him years earlier to deliver the announcement when the time came.
Born Dolly Rebecca Parton on Jan. 19, 1946, in Sevier County, Tennessee, she was one of 12 children raised in a small mountain home. Her humble childhood later inspired some of her most personal songs, including “Coat of Many Colors.”
Parton built a seven-decade career defined by her unmistakable voice, vivid storytelling and warm sense of humor. Her best-known recordings include “Jolene,” “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You,” which later became an international hit for Whitney Houston.
Her accomplishments extended far beyond country music. Parton became a successful actress through films such as 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias, created the Dollywood entertainment destination and received some of the music industry’s highest honors. She was inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Parton was equally admired for her generosity. Through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, founded in 1995, hundreds of millions of free books have been distributed to young children around the world. She also supported disaster relief, education and medical research.
Her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, died in March 2025.
At Parton’s request, a small private service will be held for her immediate family. Her family asked that memorial donations be directed to the Imagination Library. Dolly Parton’s official website confirmed her death and reflected on her extraordinary life and humanitarian legacy.
