The world of country music has lost one of its biggest and brightest icons.
Dolly Parton, the charismatic singer-songwriter, actress and businesswoman, passed away at the age of 80 on Tuesday. A representative for Parton said she died peacefully in Nashville.
Parton revealed last September that she was dealing with “some health challenges.” Those issues forced her to miss receiving a prestigious honor at the Governor Awards and the cancellation of her Las Vegas residency dates.
Parton came from humble beginnings, growing up in a one-room mountain cabin along the Little Pigeon River in rural Tennessee. She had to share the cabin with her 11 siblings, but it wasn’t long before her musical talents would take her to stardom.
As a child in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, Parton would sing on local radio and television programs. That would lead to her becoming a successful songwriter.
In 1967, country icon Porter Wagoner invited Parton to join “The Porter Wagoner Show,” offering her a regular spot on his weekly syndicated television program and in his road show. She would then be signed to Wagoner’s label (RCA) and began to perform duets with Wagoner, the first being “The Last Thing on My Mind.”
In the 1970’s she would become a full-fledged solo superstar with such classics as “Coat of Many Colors” in 1971, and of course “Jolene” in 1973. In 1974, she wrote and sang “I Will Always Love You,” which later became a worldwide phenomenon when Whitney Houston covered it for the soundtrack of the 1992 film “The Bodyguard.”
Parton would continue putting out hit songs, including “9 to 5” and “Islands in the Stream” with Kenny Rogers.
Parton also invested her earnings into business ventures in her native East Tennessee. She was the co-owner of The Dollywood Company, which operates the theme park Dollywood, a dinner theater, Dolly Parton’s Stampede, the waterpark Dollywood’s Splash Country, and the Dream More Resort and Spa.
Her film credits included “9 to 5,” “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” “Rhinestone” and “Steel Magnolias.”
Parton received 50 Grammy nominations in her career, taking home trophies 11 times. She was also nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Original Song and for four Emmy Awards, including one win for Outstanding Television Movie.
Parton has also been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, received a walk on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and received Kennedy Center honors.
Parton’s husband of 57-plus years, Carl Dean, passed away at age 82 in March of 2025.