The Queen of Country, whose career ran from a childhood radio slot in Tennessee to Jolene, 9 to 5 and Dollywood, died months after withdrawing from a Las Vegas residency on health grounds
Dolly Parton, the singer and songwriter whose seven-decade career made her the most recognisable figure in country music, has died at the age of 80. Her family announced the news on Tuesday. The announcement was made on her official Instagram account through a video from her nephew Bryan Seaver, speaking on behalf of the Parton family. She died peacefully in Nashville, Tennessee. The news follows months of concern about her health after she withdrew from a planned residency in Las Vegas. jhuNBC News
Months of concern
Parton had been due to perform six shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in December, a booking that would have marked her first appearance on the Strip since the 1990s, when she shared a stage with her Islands In The Stream duet partner Kenny Rogers. She pulled out on health grounds, telling fans she had been dealing with ongoing “health challenges” and that doctors had told her she needed “a few procedures”.
Her sister Freida Parton had earlier asked the public for prayers in a Facebook post. “Last night, I was up all night praying for my sister, Dolly,” she wrote. “Many of you know she hasn’t been feeling her best lately.” She signed off: “Godspeed, my sissy Dolly. We all love you!”
The message prompted alarm among fans, and Freida moved quickly to play down the concern. “I want to clear something up. I didn’t mean to scare anyone or make it sound so serious when asking for prayers for Dolly,” she wrote. “She’s been a little under the weather, and I simply asked for prayers because I believe so strongly in the power of prayer. It was nothing more than a little sister asking for prayers for her big sister.”
Parton’s death comes after that of her husband. Carl Dean died at the age of 82, with his death announced in March 2025.
From a Tennessee childhood to the Grand Ole Opry
Born in 1946 in Sevierville, Tennessee, Parton grew up in poverty and began performing as a child, singing on local radio by the age of 10. At 13 she recorded her first single, Puppy Love, and appeared at the Grand Ole Opry, the long-running live country broadcast from Nashville.
She moved to Nashville in 1964 and first made her name as a writer, with songs including Put It Off Until Tomorrow picked up by other artists. Wider recognition followed through her appearances on Porter Wagoner’s musical variety show between 1967 and 1974.
Jolene, 9 to 5 and crossover success
Her solo career took off in 1974 with Jolene and I Will Always Love You, two songs that showcased the storytelling and emotional directness that would define her work. The latter became a global standard after Whitney Houston recorded it.
Parton crossed into pop in 1980 with the album 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs, released alongside her starring role in the film of the same name. In 1986 she opened Dollywood, the Tennessee theme park built around her Appalachian upbringing, which grew into one of the state’s biggest visitor attractions.
Her philanthropic work ran alongside the music. The Dollywood Foundation supports literacy programmes and has distributed millions of books through its Imagination Library.
One of country’s most decorated performers
She died as one of the most honoured women in the history of the genre, with 11 Grammys and three Emmys to her name, along with nominations for two Academy Awards, six Golden Globes and a Tony. She recorded 48 studio albums and sold more than 100 million records worldwide.
Her Emmy wins included the 2021 award for outstanding television movie for Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square, while her final Grammy came the same year in a contemporary Christian category for There Was Jesus, recorded with Zach Williams. She was nominated again in the past year in the audiobook category for reading her book Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones. jhu
Funeral arrangements
A small private service will be held for immediate family at Parton’s request. Her family has asked that fans and friends pay tribute on social media by tagging her account or leaving a message through her website, and has requested donations to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in place of flowers. NBC News
A note before publication: the death is confirmed by Variety, LBC and The Music Universe, so the story stands. Two corrections to the material you sent — the Las Vegas withdrawal was announced in late September 2025, not October, and it was a cancellation of the December shows rather than a postponement of shows taking place in October. I’ve written around both. I’d also hold the article until a cause of death or a fuller family statement is issued, as neither has been released yet.
