Dolly Parton, the legendary singer-songwriter and 11-time Grammy winner behind such memorable hits as “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You,” “9 to 5” and “Here You Come Again” who also was an an actor, producer, playwright, philanthropist and theme park founder, died Tuesday in Nashville, her family said. She was 80.
Parton had been dealing with health issues for the past year and was forced to postpone a planned Las Vegas residency in September before canceling the shows in May.
Her family said in a statement: “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.”
A member of the Rock & Roll, Country Music and Songwriters halls of fame, Parton was born on January 19, 1946, in Sevier County, Tennessee. She was just 10 years old when she began singing on local radio and TV shows and debuted on the Grand Ole Opry stage at 13.
A beloved figure since launching a country music career in the mid-1960s, her first record deal with Monument Records led to her 1967 debut studio album, Hello, I’m Dolly. Fueled by singles “Dumb Blonde” and “Something Fishy,” the LP’s success led to an invitation to join The Porter Wagoner Show in 1967, and she and host Porter Wagoner would become one of country music’s leading duos, recording a dozen studio albums which would produce countless top 10 hit singles through 1974.
She landed her first No. 1 country single with “Joshua” in 1971. As her career took off, Parton wrote and recorded one of country music’s greatest songs, “Jolene,” in 1973. The first of four consecutive chart-topping country hits, it was followed by “I Will Always Love You,” which decades later become Whitney Houston’s signature song — and one the longest-running No. 1 singles ever — when it was featured in the 1992 box office hit The Bodyguard. Beyoncé would cover “Jolene” on her 2024 disc Cowboy Carter, which won the Album of the Year Grammy.
Parton became an international star, toured North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, and found pop success with the Top 10 single “Here You Come Again.” That mid-’70s era also spawned Parton’s song “Coat of Many Colors,” which would be adapted for the successful 2015 NBC TV movie Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors. A sequel, Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love followed in 2016.
She would conquer another medium as the decade turned.
Parton starred alongside Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dabney Coleman in the smash 1980 film 9 to 5, whose Parton-penned and -sung title track reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. That led to other films for Parton including The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Rhinestone, Steel Magnolias, Straight Talk, Joyful Noise, along with TV movies, specials and a 1987-88 self-titled variety series from her production company, Sandollar.
Parton would score another chart-topping single in 1983 with “Islands in the Stream,” a duet with fellow country/pop star Kenny Rogers that was written by the Bee Gees’ Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibbs. Parton and Rogers would tour the world together from 1984-1990.
The mid-1980s saw the opening of Parton’s Dollywood, a theme park in rural Tennessee that embodies the spirit of the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and still draws an average of 4 million visitors a year. In 1988, she founded The Dollywood Foundation to served the people of East Tennessee by providing scholarships to keep students in school. Those were among many philanthropic efforts for which she long has been known.
For all her accolades and multimedia successes, Parton’s music career stands among the most celebrated in pop and country music. She released nearly 50 solo studio albums, more than 20 of which went Top 10 on the Billboard country chart, including eight No. 1s. Her most recent LP was Rockstar, her first to feature all rock ‘n’ roll songs. Collaborators included Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, Miley Cyrus,. Heart’s Ann Wilson, Judas Priest’s Rob Halford, Mötley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx, among others.
In 2024, Billboard named Dolly the No. 1 Country Music Artist of All Time.
Among her countless awards and commendations are a Kennedy Center Honor; 11 Grammy Awards and 54 nominations; including the Lifetime Achievement Award; 10 Country Music Association Awards including Entertainer of the Year; and five Academy of Country Music Awards, including a win for Entertainer of the Year.
Her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean — whom Parton met the day she first moved to Nashville — died last year.
In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. A small, private service will be held for immediate family.
English (US) ·