The world mourns the loss of Dolly Parton, an iconic figure in country music and a celebrated philanthropist, who passed away at the age of 80. Renowned for her timeless songs and her entrepreneurial spirit, particularly her beloved Dollywood theme park, Parton’s legacy is deeply cherished.
The news of Parton’s passing was confirmed by her publicist, though no specifics regarding the cause of death have been shared.
Tune in to “Dolly Parton: An American Original – A Special Edition of 20/20,” airing tonight, Aug. 25 at 10/9c on ABC. It will be available for streaming on Disney+ and Hulu the following day.
In September 2025, Parton shared on Instagram that she was facing some health challenges and needed to undergo several medical procedures. She did not elaborate on her condition but mentioned her ongoing recovery from “a few little health issues” during Dollywood’s seasonal reopening nearly six months later.
Having celebrated her 80th birthday the previous January, Parton was also coping with the profound grief following the passing of her husband, Carl Dean, in March 2025. After nearly six decades of marriage, she expressed that she was taking time to heal and rebuild herself spiritually, emotionally, and physically.
President Donald Trump called Parton “one of the greatest Country singers, and far beyond, EVER” in a social media post reacting to her passing. “There has never been anyone like her, and never will. In her honor, I am lowering the American flag throughout the United States for a one week period beginning tonight at 6:00PM.”
In a music career that began when she was still a child, born into poverty in the tiny mountain community of Pittman Center, Tennessee, Parton went on to become one of the world’s most successful and admired entertainers, regarded as a country music living legend. Her trademark style – big blonde hair, flamboyant clothes and makeup – was cultivated early in her career, while she was still in her teens.”I take my negatives and try to make them into positives, and I always feel better being more flamboyant,” Parton wrote in her 2023 book “Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones.” “Maybe I looked cheap, but I knew I wasn’t cheap.”
Parton’s style helped her get noticed but her musical gifts made her unforgettable. She wrote and recorded many of country and pop’s most enduring songs, including the hits “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” – added to the Library of Congress National Recording Registry in 2011 – “Here You Come Again,” “Love Is Like a Butterfly,” “9 to 5” and more.
Parton’s biggest hit, however, was inarguably “I Will Always Love You,” which topped the charts three times, most notably when Whitney Houston’s 1992 cover became a global smash. Houston’s performance remains the best-selling song by a female artist of all time.
In 2014, the Record Industry Association of America recognized Parton for sales of over 100 million units worldwide, including 19 RIAA-certified gold, platinum and multi-platinum albums out of the more than 100 studio, live and compilation albums she released during her six-decade-plus recording career.
Parton was also an actress, making her big-screen debut in the 1980 hit comedy “9 to 5,” opposite Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, and wrote and performed the film’s chart-topping, Grammy-winning theme song. Not including cameos as herself, she appeared in some nine films in all, among them the enduring 1989 comedy-drama “Steel Magnolias.”
A savvy businesswoman, Forbes magazine in June 2025