Few entertainers are as universally beloved as country music icon Dolly Parton, who has sadly died at the age of 80. Her nephew and head of security, Bryan Seaver, confirmed the sad news on social media. Dolly Parton had been struggling with an unknown illness for some time, and had to cancel many tour dates and award shows recently. She downplayed her illness for her fans, hoping not to worry them. Her representatives recently confirmed that her cause of death was a “brief battle with cancer,” but did not disclose the type of cancer. Dolly died peacefully in her home in Nashville, Tennessee. Dolly Parton’s passing was only a year and a half after the death of her husband, Carl Dean, who died last year at the age of 82. The pair were married for nearly six decades.
Dolly Parton grew up extremely poor, raised in a log cabin in Tennessee with 11 siblings. But she took to music at a young age, performing as a teenager on a local radio station. She even scored a hit at age 13. She found bigger fame in 1967, releasing her debut album, Hello, I’m Dolly. Dolly Parton quickly became a country music legend, scoring hit after hit after hit. One of her biggest early crossover hits was the song “Jolene,” which remains iconic to this day. In her nearly sixty-year career, she sold over 100 million albums and won a whopping 11 Grammy Awards. For her television work, Dolly Parton received three Emmy nominations, and for her film work, she received two Oscar nominations. Her 1974 hit “I Will Always Love You,” which she wrote, became a massive hit for Whitney Houston in 1992. This only brought more attention to her songwriting skills.
In Hollywood, Dolly Parton had a notable acting career, appearing in hit films like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and Steel Magnolias. She also became a theme park entrepreneur, opening her Dollywood theme park in 1986. Via her production label Sand Dollar Television, Dolly Parton even helped bring Buffy the Vampire Slayer to life on TV. Dolly Parton was also one of entertainment’s biggest philanthropists, as Parton supported many charitable efforts, particularly in literacy, primarily through her Dollywood Foundation. Her literacy program, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, helped spread the love of reading to literally millions of kids around the country.
Dolly Parton also famously was a tremendous supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, a rarity in the country music world. She was in favor of same-sex marriage in 2009, years before marriage equality passed. When anti-trans rights bills passed in her home state of Tennessee, she spoke out against them. And she often joked that she was a drag queen herself.
Additionally, of note, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dolly Parton donated $1 million dollars toward research for a vaccine, more than almost any other celebrity. All in order to make a vaccine happen faster.
After decades in the business, Dolly even recorded a rock music album in 2023, Rockstar, since they had already inducted her into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame.
A Final Statement From Dolly Parton’s Team
In a statement to People, Dolly Parton’s team wrote the following about her death: “Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched. Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand.”
And added, “Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact. After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones.”
Nerdist’s Take: Dolly Parton’s Death Hurts So Much Because EVERYONE Loved Her
The term “universally beloved” often gets thrown about when someone dies. But Dolly Parton truly was that. Not one person has ever had a bad word to say about her, and everyone who has ever met her has echoed her kindness and generosity of spirit. She made a positive impact on the world around her, in a way few people in the entertainment industry ever have. Not only will Dolly Parton’s musical legacy live on forever after her death, but her philanthropic work will remain an example for all who have wealth and seek to do good with it. Our condolences go out to her family, friends, and legion of fans. Which is literally everyone on Earth with a heart. In lieu of flowers, it was Dolly’s wish that donations be made to her Imagination Library.