Dolly Parton has died aged 80

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.

Her primary contribution to musical theatre is composing the score for 9 to 5: The Musical, based on the 1980 film in which she starred. The production debuted on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre in 2009, running for 148 regular performances. Parton wrote the music and lyrics, earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Original Score. The show subsequently mounted productions in the West End, national tours, and international stagings.

Parton has also produced theatrical content through her business enterprises. She owned and operates several large-scale dinner theatre venues, including Dolly Parton’s Stampede, Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show, and Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Feud. Additionally, her Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, houses multiple performance venues that run seasonal stage shows and musical productions year-round.

Her screen career also connects directly to musical theatre. In 1982, she starred in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, contributing additional original songs to the cinematic soundtrack alongside her dramatic roles in films like Steel Magnolias.

Parton composed the original music and lyrics for Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol, a stage adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic story. Set in 1930s East Tennessee, it reinterprets Ebenezer Scrooge as a mining company owner. The show premiered in Boston in 2019, staged a UK run at London’s Southbank Centre for the 2022–2023 holiday season, and launched a major 20-city US national tour for the 2025 holiday season.

She also co-wrote the book and composed the score for an upcoming biographical Broadway musical about her life, titled Dolly: A True Original Musical (originally announced as Hello, I’m Dolly).Following a world-premiere run at Belmont University in Nashville in mid-2025, the production is scheduled to begin Broadway previews at the St James Theatre in December 2026, with its official opening set for 19 January, 2027, on what would have been her 81st birthday.

Dolly is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 59 years Carl Thomas Dean (1942 to 2025), her mother Avie Lee Caroline Owens (1923 to 2003), and father, Robert Lee Parton, Sr. (1921 to 2000).

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The obituary supplied by the Parton team is below: 

Born on January 19, 1946, in Sevier County, Tennessee, Dolly Rebecca Parton grew up in a humble family as one of 12 children in a small one-bedroom home nestled in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. Dolly consistently drew inspiration throughout her career from her immense appreciation and love for the place and people that raised her. She lived a simple childhood chasing the beauty of butterflies, listening to Appalachian folklore and ancient ballads passed down by her relatives. Huddling around the family radio to hear the Grand Ole Opry broadcast, Dolly and her siblings would joyfully make music together.

From an early age, Dolly’s musical talent was evident and encouraged by her mother, crafting simple songs on her guitar that were seemingly pulled from the spirit of the Smoky Mountains themselves. Dolly took notice of the attention her music received from everyone around her and knew then that she was meant to share her heart and talent with the world. She began writing songs at the age of five, the first being about a corncob doll her mother made for her called “Little Tiny Tasseltop.” While she couldn’t read or write at this point, her mother wrote down the lyrics as the knee-high Dolly sang them.

Noticing something special about the tiny blonde spitfire, her uncle, Bill Owens, who was also an accredited songwriter, began chaperoning Dolly to and from Nashville and encouraged her to continue honing her God-given talents. At just 10 years old, Dolly began singing on local radio and TV shows and debuted on the Grand Ole Opry stage at just 13. She made her big move to Nashville a few years later, and it was on that fateful first day in town that she met her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean. Dolly often stated that was “the day her life began” outside that Wishy Washy Laundromat, as the two quickly became inseparable. The couple wed two years later in a private ceremony in Ringgold, Georgia, in 1966, with only her mother, the pastor, and his wife present. Dolly and Carl spent many beautiful years together taking sightseeing trips around the country in their RV, staying in roadside motels, having date nights at the drive-thru, and often revisiting the church where they married for simple picnics around their anniversary. Carl notably didn’t care for the spotlight of Dolly’s career, but his love, support, and consistency built an unshakable foundation for her to come home to when she was off the road.

In 1965, Dolly signed her first record deal with Monument Records, followed by a songwriting deal with Combine Music. Her debut studio album, Hello, I’m Dolly, made an impact on the country charts with her first two singles, “Dumb Blonde” and “Something Fishy.” The success of the album garnered her an invitation to join The Porter Wagoner Show in 1967. Between 1967 and 1974, Porter & Dolly would become one of country music’s leading duos, recording a dozen studio albums that would produce countless Top 10 hit singles. The partnership catapulted her into the national spotlight and led to a record deal of her own with RCA. In 1969, the rising star fulfilled a childhood dream and stepped into the hallowed circle at the Mother Church of Country Music to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry – an honor she cherished throughout her life.

Dolly earned her first #1 single in 1971 with “Joshua” – a heartfelt story centered around kindness and the lesson that things aren’t always as they appear. Based on the Appalachian men she grew up around, the song cemented her as a country music star in her own right. This pivotal moment shone a spotlight not only on a gifted musician but also on a prolific storyteller and songwriter. Dolly’s songwriting in the early 1970s grew more and more prolific. In this era, Dolly issued now-classic hits including “Coat of Many Colors,” “My Tennessee Mountain Home,” “Jolene,” and many more.

After seven years on The Porter Wagoner Show, Dolly made the decision to strike out on her own to truly chase the dreams she had since childhood. Her departure in 1974 caused some friction between the two and inspired one of the greatest songs of all time, “I Will Always Love You.” The song reached #1 on the country charts twice (1974 and 1982) and exploded into a globally recognizable ballad following the release of Whitney Houston’s rendition for The Bodyguard soundtrack, which spent 14 weeks at #1 in 1992. “I Will Always Love You” was initially released the same year as her equally celebrated song “Jolene,” which has been a cultural mainstay, with countless artists sampling and covering the anthem.

Between 1974 and 1979, Dolly ascended to superstardom. With tours that brought her all over the world – Europe, Australia, and Asia – and hits that crossed over to the pop and AC charts, including her first Platinum single, “Here You Come Again,” Dolly was everywhere. In 1975 and 1976, the Country Music Association named her Female Vocalist of the Year. In 1978, she was honored with the CMA for Entertainer of the Year.

In 1980, Dolly added movie star to her resume, starring alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in the box-office blockbuster 9 to 5. The theme song was an instant success and became an anthem for generations of working women everywhere. It took the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, the country charts, and the AC charts. The film also opened the doors for her to take on other iconic roles in classic films like The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Rhinestone, Steel Magnolias, Straight Talk, Joyful Noise, and many other television films. Her production company, Sandollar, produced an array of television specials starring Dolly, including a 1987-88 self-titled variety series, which commanded the biggest deal ever negotiated in prime-time television at the time. Throughout the 1980s, Dolly continued to top the radio charts. In this era, she recorded another multi-genre classic, “Islands in the Stream,” with Kenny Rogers. The two toured the world together between 1984 and 1990.

In 1986, Dolly opened a theme park called Dollywood, located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The park embodies the spirit of the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, and after more than 40 years in business, the theme park and its affiliated businesses in East Tennessee draw more than 4 million visitors annually. Her entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to her hometown created jobs and opportunities for thousands of people in the region. Dolly went on to build an empire of businesses and enterprises that grew into lines of baking goods, frozen foods, coffee, wines, fragrances, cosmetics, jewelry, clothing, dinner theaters, hotels, and many more.

Dolly’s generosity and compassion were evident in her numerous charitable endeavors. She donated millions of dollars to various causes, including education, healthcare, and disaster relief. In 1988, she founded The Dollywood Foundation, which super-served the people of East Tennessee by providing scholarships to keep students in school. In 1995, the superstar established Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program that to date has donated over 300 million free books to children around the world from birth to age five. The Imagination Library, inspired by her father, who never learned to read or write, has fostered a love of reading and learning for countless children.

Dolly’s later career saw her ascend to global headlining performer. Between 2006 and 2016, Dolly sold out a series of arena and stadium concert tours across North America, Europe, and Australia. In 2014, Dolly performed for the biggest global audience of her career during the Glastonbury Festival, with 140,000 people attending her performance. Between 2020 and 2025, Dolly landed on the New York Times bestseller lists with a series of landmark books.

Dolly’s career in music is nothing short of legendary. Her distinctive voice, heartfelt lyrics, and charismatic stage presence endeared her to millions of fans worldwide and have, for generations, inspired the careers of countless artists of all genres. Dolly’s contributions to American culture were recognized in 2006 when she received a Kennedy Center Honor. She amassed 11 Grammy Awards and 54 nominations, including the Lifetime Achievement Award; 10 Country Music Association Awards, including Entertainer of the Year; five Academy of Country Music Awards, including a win for Entertainer of the Year; four People’s Choice Awards; and four American Music Awards. In 1999, Dolly was inducted into the coveted Country Music Hall of Fame. Her undeniable mark on country music shaped the sounds and stories we hear today. In 2024, Billboard named Dolly the #1 Country Music Artist of All Time.

In 2022, Dolly was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She followed the induction with the release of her album Rockstar. The album made history by reaching the biggest album-debut sales week of her seven-decade career and earned her six #1s on the Billboard charts – Top Rock Albums, Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Country Albums, Top Album Sales, Top Current Album Sales, and Independent Albums. Dolly earned 29 RIAA-certified gold, platinum, and multi-platinum awards across her career, selling over 100 million albums worldwide. She had 25 songs reach #1 on the Billboard country charts during her lifetime – a record for a female artist. Across her career, Dolly saw her music top Billboard‘s Hot 100, Country, Pop, Adult Contemporary, Bluegrass, Christian, Rock, and Dance charts.