Dolly Parton, the queen of country music and creator of immortal songs like "I Will Always Love You," as well as a philanthropist involved in many charitable works, has died at age 80.
International news agencies reported on Tuesday, 25 Aug 2026 GMT+7, that Dolly Parton, one of the greatest American songwriters and singers in country music, had passed away at the age of 80. She left behind numerous musical works, including "I Will Always Love You," and her charity efforts that reached an international scale.
Brian Sevier, Parton's nephew, announced her death on Instagram, saying, “I had imagined how hard this moment would be, but never truly felt it until now... It is an honor, an honor mixed with the deepest pride and profound sorrow.”
Parton wrote two of the greatest songs of the 20th century, "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You," both composed within the same day.
Her songwriting stood out for vivid storytelling, emotional depth, and powerful melodies, all delivered through her clear and strong voice.
Parton achieved 25 number-one hits on the US country charts—a record—and had 47 albums reach the Top 10 on the country charts. She also crossed over to pop charts with "9 to 5," which hit number one in 1980, alongside a distinguished acting career that earned her two Golden Globe nominations.
Additionally, her literacy promotion project, the Imagination Library, has donated more than 150 million books to children.
Parton was born into poverty in a single cabin in Tennessee. She was the fourth child of a mother who had 12 children before turning 35, with a father who was a farmer and construction worker.
One of her most beloved songs, "Coat of Many Colours," tells the story of her mother sewing scraps of cloth into clothing for her. Her first guitar was roughly made from a mandolin fitted with bass guitar strings before receiving her first real guitar from her uncle at age eight.
During childhood, Parton began her musical journey singing in church, appearing on local television at age 10, recording her first record at 13, and performing that same year at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, the heart of country music.
After graduating high school in 1964, Parton moved to Nashville and started primarily as a songwriter rather than a performer. The following year, she signed as an artist and was initially positioned as a pop singer but did not find success.
After permission to switch to country music, Parton produced consecutive hits and released her debut album "Hello, I’m Dolly." She married Carl Dean in 1966, a Nashville asphalt contractor who passed away in 2025.
From 1967, Parton's fame grew further through duets with Porter Wagoner, a country singer and TV host.
Parton's first country chart hit was "Joshua" in 1971. Her song "Jolene," released in 1973, became her first UK success, reaching number seven. "I Will Always Love You," written to say goodbye to Wagoner after their professional split, topped the country charts in 1974.
The song "I Will Always Love You" was re-recorded in 1982 and became a massive pop hit when Whitney Houston covered it for the 1991 film "The Bodyguard." It remains the best-selling single by a female artist with over 20 million copies sold.
In the mid-1970s, Parton expanded her musical style by incorporating pop-rock arrangements, such as in "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" (1977). Her album "New Harvest … First Gathering" was her first to enter the pop album charts.
Later that year, the album "Here You Come Again" reached the Top 20 and became her first million-selling album, propelled by the title track’s popularity. This song earned Parton her first Grammy out of a total of 10.
The year 1980 marked her peak success, with three consecutive number-one country hits, including "9 to 5," the theme for the film of the same name in which she starred alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. This led to an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.
One of Parton’s historic albums was 1987’s "Trio," a collaboration with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt featuring pure, harmonious vocals, which earned her a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year—the only time in her career.
Entering the 21st century, Parton released ten more studio albums, with the latest being "Rockstar" in 2023. She collaborated with many younger artists, appearing with country singer Brad Paisley and pop stars Kesha and Miley Cyrus, her goddaughter.
Though her acting roles decreased later, Parton provided voice work for the 2011 animated film "Gnomeo and Juliet" and starred alongside Queen Latifah in the 2012 musical film "Joyful Noise."
Beyond music and acting, Parton was a savvy businesswoman and philanthropist. She co-founded the film and television production company Sandollar with former manager Sandy Gallin, producing hits like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and the "Father of the Bride" films.
In 1983, Parton acquired a stake in the Silver Dollar City theme park in Tennessee, renaming it Dollywood and doubling its size over the next 20 years. Subsequently, Dollywood-branded spas, resorts, clubs/restaurants with shows, and a water park opened.
Parton founded the Dollywood Foundation in 1988, initially awarding college scholarships and running programs to help children in her hometown of Sevier County, Tennessee, graduate high school.
In 1995, she started the Imagination Library project, sending age-appropriate books monthly to all children in the county until age five. It expanded nationwide in 2000 and internationally in 2006, now distributing nearly 25 million books annually across the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, and Ireland.
In 2022, Parton said that beyond promoting childhood literacy, “It’s the fact that they feel cared for. They receive a little book with their name on it in the mail, which makes them feel special. They begin to take pride in themselves and realize someone in this world is thinking about them.”
Parton also established a wildlife sanctuary in 2003 to protect bald eagles, donated $500,000 to open a hospital in Sevier County in 2006, coordinated aid for Smoky Mountain wildfire victims in 2016, and contributed to charity albums for HIV/AIDS patients.
She supported the Black Lives Matter movement and transgender rights, opposing North Carolina’s “bathroom bill” that restricted transgender individuals’ bathroom access.
Parton made multiple donations to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, where her granddaughter was treated for leukemia. She made headlines with a $1 million donation for COVID-19 research, which became a key foundation for the Moderna vaccine.