08/27/2026
East Tennessee and the world have lost a rare diamond. The loss of Dolly Parton is devastating. She was such a breath of fresh air. Her talent and generosity are unmatched. I'm so very sad to hear of her passing.
Heaven has gained an angel.
Shine on Dolly!
Tonight's obituary from Dollymania:
The legendary Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean died Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville following a brief battle with cancer. She was 80. A small, private service will be held. She will be interred next to her late husband in Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum. Memorials are encouraged to Imagination Library.
Born Jan. 19, 1946, one of 12 children in a cabin in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains of Sevier County, Tenn., Dolly rose to a country star, then pop superstar, movie and television star, philanthropist, theme park owner, author, and international icon. She passed 17 months after her husband of 59 years, Carl Dean.
Composer of more than 5,000 songs, she earned 25 country No. 1 singles, eight top 40 pop hits, 11 Grammy Awards and 55 nominations, two Oscar nominations and an honorary Oscar, one national and two regional Emmy Awards and five nominations, a Tony nomination, Kennedy Center Honors, Country Music Hall of Fame membership, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame membership, National Medal of Arts, Library of Congress Living Legend Award, 12 CMAs and 12 ACMs, and more. She turned a small mountain theme park into an international destination with 41 seasons of Dollywood. Someone who put her songwriting above all other talents, she composed the biggest-selling song ever by a female songwriter.
She gave back: over 330 million books delivered by the Imagination Library, a “transformational gift” to the Knoxville Children's Hospital resulting in renaming it Dolly Parton's Children's Hospital, the women's health center at her hometown hospital, her local Boys & Girls Club, the local children's home, the children's cancer wing at Vanderbilt Medical Center, scholarships for Sevier County students, wildfire relief, hurricane victims, the Covid vaccine, and more.
She advocated: for children, for LGBTQIA+ people, for women's equality, for workers, for racial equality, for peace and love.
Dolly started her career as a child performer on a regional weekly television program, The Cas Walker Show, and made her Grand Ole Opry debut at 13. She recorded off and on as a teenager before moving to Nashville the day after graduating high school, meeting future husband Carl Dean at the laundromat that afternoon. She signed to Monument Records where Fred Foster tried to mold her into a bubblegum pop singer until a song she and her Uncle Bill Owens wrote became a top 10 country hit for Bill Phillips with her singing uncredited harmony. Switching her to country, she started having mild chart success, which drew the attention of Porter Wagoner. He hired her for his nationally-syndicated television show and moved her to RCA Records, where they began recording duets that consistently made the top 10 while Dolly's solo work was only mid-charting.
Her first No. 1, “Joshua,” was followed three years later by a string of five consecutive No. 1 singles including “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You,” which later would become Whitney Houston's signature song. Soon, she left Wagoner's show and went out on her own including her own syndicated program Dolly, eventually hiring manager Sandy Gallin and shifting her music to pop including two pop No. 1s and a string of duets with Kenny Rogers. Movies followed with hits 9 To 5, The Best Little Wh******se In Texas, and Steel Magnolias, an ill-fated network variety show Dolly!, and a return to roots music for most of the past 30 years while also experimenting with gospel, contemporary Christian, electronica, rap, rock, folk, and Broadway. In recent years, she expanded her branding including successful lines of homegoods, clothing, cosmetics, perfumes, and foodstuffs.
A very private person about her health, she revealed a year ago that she was experiencing kidney stones which forced her to postpone, and then cancel, a planned two-week Vegas residency. The health concerns continued with additional cancellations including missing the presentation of her honorary Oscar, as she assured fans she was responding well to medical treatments but had side effects of dizziness and dehydration limiting her mobility. In that period, she only made two public appearances: the season opening of Dollywood in March and a surprise pop-in at the opening of her first truck stop in June where she was not scheduled to appear. She cancelled a planned appearance to open the new ride at Dollywood 11 days ago, sending a video where her voice sounded weak, which worried fans. TMZ reports she was hospitalized five days ago.
President Donald Trump ordered the nation's flags flown at half-staff for seven days in her honor and memory – a highly unusual step, as only nine other non-government officials have had flags lowered in their memory nationwide: Martin Luther King, Jr., Roy Wilkins, Bob Hope, Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, Dorothy Height, Neil Armstrong, Billy Graham, and Charlie Kirk. The Empire State Building lit up in pink in her memory at 9:25 p.m. Tributes poured in from around the world.
Her passing was announced on her social media via a video from her nephew Bryan Seaver available here or in the media player above.
A statement from her team to People magazine stated: “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. 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.”
The official obituary released on her social media accounts read:
“Global icon and humanitarian, Dolly Parton, known to the world as a beloved singer, songwriter, philanthropist, actress, playwright, and author died peacefully today in Nashville, Tennessee. She was 80 years old.
“Dolly is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 59 years Carl Thomas Dean (1942 – 2025), her mother Avie Lee Caroline Owens (1923 – 2003), and father, Robert Lee Parton, Sr. (1921 – 2000).
“A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family. Dolly Parton's legacy is one of love, compassion, and resilience. With a seven-decade career, she inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place. Her songs will continue to resonate with people of all ages, and her philanthropic work will have a lasting impact.
“At Dolly's request, a small, private service will be held for immediate family. Dolly's fans and friends from around the world are encouraged to pay tribute to Dolly on social media by tagging or by leaving a message at www.dollyparton.com
“In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library at www.imaginationlibrary.com”
As she always closed her concerts and TV programs:
”I hope life treats you kind,
And I hope you have all you ever dreamed of.
I wish you joy, and I wish you happiness.
But above all of this, I wish you love.
I Will Always Love You
Honoring the life and legacy of Dolly Parton, global icon, humanitarian, and beloved entertainer who inspired generations with her music and kindness.
