NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Dolly Parton, the rhinestone-clad country superstar whose songs, wit, and philanthropy made her one of America’s most beloved and enduring entertainers, d!ed Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, in Nashville. She was 80.
Parton d!ed at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center after a brief battle with cancer, surrounded by loved ones, her representatives said. She had been admitted to the center on Friday. The specific type of cancer was not disclosed.
Her nephew Bryan Seaver broke the news in a video posted to her social media accounts on behalf of the Parton and Owens families. “My name is Bryan 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,” he said.
“This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago… As her head of security for more than two decades… I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven’t truly felt it until now.”
A family statement described her as a global icon and humanitarian who “spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched.” A private service for close family was planned.
Concerns about Parton’s health had grown in recent years. She postponed and later canceled a Las Vegas residency, citing issues that required her to stay near home in Tennessee for treatment. In 2025 she addressed rumors with the line “I ain’t d3ad yet.”
In May 2026 she spoke of kidney stones and problems with her immune and digestive systems. Days before her d3ath she told People magazine she was dealing with health issues she had neglected while caring for her husband.
Dolly Rebecca Parton was born Jan. 19, 1946, the fourth of 12 children, in a one-room cabin on the banks of the Little Pigeon River in Sevier County, Tennessee, in the Great Smoky Mountains. Her father worked as a tenant farmer; her mother sang traditional ballads and hymns. The family struggled with poverty, experiences she later turned into songs such as “Coat of Many Colors” and “My Tennessee Mountain Home.”
She wrote her first song as a young child and moved to Nashville after high school. Parton rose to fame in the late 1960s as a partner to Porter Wagoner before launching a solo career that produced enduring hits including “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You,” “9 to 5,” and “Islands in the Stream.” She sold more than 100 million records, won multiple Grammy Awards, Country Music Association Awards, and other honors, and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Beyond music, Parton starred in films such as 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and Steel Magnolias. She built a business empire that included Dollywood, the theme park near her hometown. A prolific philanthropist, she funded literacy programs through the Imagination Library, which has distributed millions of free books to children, and contributed to COVID-19 vaccine research and other causes.
Her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, d!ed in March 2025. She is survived by six siblings: Willadeene Parton, Robert Lee Parton Jr., Stella Parton, Cassie Parton, Freida Parton, and Rachel Ann Parton George.
Tributes poured in quickly from across the entertainment world and beyond. President Donald Trump called her “one of the greatest Country singers, and far beyond,” describing her d3ath as “a true loss for millions of people.” Singer Dionne Warwick said her heart was heavy and that Parton was “in the best hands now.”
Parton’s final collaborative album, Smoky Mountain DNA: Family, Faith and Fables, featuring generations of her family, was released in late 2024. A Broadway musical based on her life was scheduled to open later in 2026.
From a hardscrabble Appalachian childhood to international stardom, Parton remained a singular figure whose music confronted hardship while radiating hope, and whose larger-than-life persona never overshadowed her authenticity or generosity. Her influence spans generations of artists and fans who found both escape and recognition in her work.
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