Dolly Parton, the legendary singer, songwriter, actress and philanthropist whose career transformed country music, has died at the age of 80.
Her family announced her death on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, through an emotional video posted on the singer’s official social media account.
The announcement was delivered by Parton’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, on behalf of the Parton and Owens families. Seaver had worked as his aunt’s head of security for more than two decades.
“Sadness lies with us, not with Dolly,” he said in the family’s message, describing the profound influence she had on her relatives, fans and generations of performers.
Watch Dolly Parton’s family announcement below:
If the video does not appear, watch the family’s message on Instagram .
No specific cause of death had been publicly disclosed at the time of publication. Parton had recently spoken about facing health problems, but neither her family nor representatives connected those issues to her death.
The country music icon was born Dolly Rebecca Parton on January 19, 1946, in Sevier County, Tennessee. She was the fourth of 12 children and frequently drew inspiration from her family’s financially difficult but music-filled upbringing.
Dolly Parton’s family announces her death
In the family’s video, Seaver said Parton had asked him years earlier to make the announcement when the time came.
He reflected on how she opened doors not only for members of her family but also for singers, songwriters, musicians and dreamers around the world.
“Our family and the team she has entrusted with her legacy will work diligently to ensure her spirit will live with us forever.”
Seaver described his aunt as someone who “farmed songs and happiness,” comparing her creative life with the work of her father, who farmed the soil.
He concluded the tribute with a reference instantly recognizable to millions of fans: “She will always love you.”
The announcement came less than two years after Parton lost her husband, Carl Dean, who died in March 2025 at the age of 82. The famously private couple had been married for nearly 60 years.
According to The Associated Press, Parton sold more than 100 million records during a career that crossed country, pop, film, television and business.
Her death has prompted tributes from across the entertainment industry as fans remember an artist whose unmistakable voice, humour and generosity made her one of America’s most widely admired public figures.
From ‘Jolene’ to a global cultural legacy
Parton arrived in Nashville shortly after graduating from high school and released her debut album, Hello, I’m Dolly, in 1967.
Her appearances on The Porter Wagoner Show helped introduce her to a national audience, but her abilities as a songwriter quickly established her as a major artist in her own right.
Her catalogue included enduring songs such as “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors,” “9 to 5,” “Here You Come Again” and “I Will Always Love You.”
Parton originally released “I Will Always Love You” in 1974. Whitney Houston later turned the composition into one of the most commercially successful recordings in pop music history.
Parton also achieved major crossover success with “9 to 5” and “Islands in the Stream,” her chart-topping duet with Kenny Rogers.
Her work earned numerous Grammy Awards and inductions into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Days before her death, her official website announced 82 new global sales certifications for her music across 14 countries.
Beyond recording, she became a successful actress with memorable roles in 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Steel Magnolias.
Her business ventures included Dollywood, the Tennessee theme park that grew into one of the state’s best-known tourist attractions and a major source of local employment.
Parton’s humanitarian work became an equally important part of her legacy. She founded the Imagination Library in 1995 after being inspired by her father’s inability to read and write.
The programme grew from a local Tennessee initiative into an international literacy effort that distributes millions of free books to young children.
She also supported disaster-relief programmes and donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for research that contributed to the development of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine.
Parton’s combination of artistic independence, business judgement and compassion helped her reach far beyond country music. Her songs spoke about poverty, ambition, heartbreak, dignity and the lives of working people without losing their personal warmth.
For more developments from the music and entertainment world, read about the Pussycat Dolls’ cancelled US reunion tour.
This is a developing story. Swikblog will update this report if the family releases further information about memorial arrangements or the cause of death.
Published: August 26, 2026
Last updated: August 26, 2026
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