Dolly Parton dies at 80: Artists pay tribute to country music legend

Country music legend Dolly Parton, whose songs and larger-than-life personality made her a household name around the world, has died aged 80, her family confirmed on Tuesday, August 25.

Her nephew Bryan Seaver, who served as Parton’s head of security for more than two decades, announced her death in a video shared on social media.

“Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus,” Seaver said, adding that she was surely reunited with her late husband Carl, her parents and others who had been waiting to welcome her.

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Parton’s death comes about 18 months after the passing of her husband, Carl Thomas Dean, in March 2025. The couple had been married for 58 years.

Dean died in Nashville at the age of 82. He and Parton had been married since 1966 and largely kept their relationship away from the public spotlight.

The country music icon will be laid to rest at a “small, private service” for immediate family, according to a statement on Parton’s X account.

Fans are encouraged to honour Parton on social media and instead of sending flowers, to make a donation to the singer’s Imagination Library.

Dolly Parton family’s statement announcing her death

Dolly Parton’s family has paid tribute to the country music legend following her death, remembering her as a woman who opened doors for generations of artists, musicians and dreamers.

Seaver said Parton had played a major role in his own family’s life, recalling that he first travelled with her as a child in the 1980s.

“Dolly opened doors, not just for me, but for her entire family to reach the potential we didn’t even know was possible,” he said.

He also highlighted her wider influence, saying Parton had “opened doors for generations of singers, songwriters, musicians, and dreamers from every walk of life and across every continent.”

“By her example, we believed that anything was possible,” he said. “She never saw a door she couldn’t open, and the doors she opened made and changed history.”

Below is her family’s announcement of her death, delivered by her nephew, Bryan Seaver.

Artists, politicians pay tribute

Former US Vice-President Kamala Harris paid tribute to Dolly Parton, calling her a “true American icon” who went from a “little girl from up in East Tennessee” to a global superstar.

Harris highlighted Parton’s 11 Grammy Awards, Emmy and honorary Oscar, as well as her Imagination Library, which has sent more than 300 million books to children around the world.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also paid tribute to Parton, calling her “an extraordinary person and an irreplaceable champion of the working class.”

Former US President Bill Clinton also remembered Parton, calling her “one of a kind” and praising her as a songwriter and performer who told the stories of everyday Americans with “honesty, humility, and heart.”

Legendary American singer and actress Dionne Warwick paid tribute to Parton on X, saying her “heart is heavy” and that she would miss her “laughter, jokes and her being.”

Singer Kelly Clarkson also honoured Dolly Parton, remembering her for her warmth and ability to make people feel “special, and seen, and welcomed”.

Country singer Kacey Musgraves also shared a series of posts on social media platform X in the wake of Dolly Parton’s death.

“This one really hurts,” she began, accompanied by a broken heart emoji.

She also said, “The world feels a lot less sparkly all of a sudden.”

She concluded with the statement below:

Meanwhile, country music singer Keith Urban took to Instagram shortly after news of Parton’s death broke.

“Heartbroken today. Dolly Parton,” he wrote, adding a broken heart emoji.

In a tribute on his Instagram story, country singer George Strait wrote, “You’ve had such a huge impact on so many people all over the world.”

Meanwhile, American actress Jamie Lee Curtis, in her tribute to Parton, said that an age-old adage didn’t apply.

“They say don’t meet your heroes. They were wrong about her,” Curtis wrote.

Dolly Parton’s health issues

While her family has not disclosed a cause of death, Parton had spoken publicly about experiencing health difficulties in the months before her death.

In an August 21 interview with People, Parton said she had been going through “hard times with my health”, adding that she had been unable to properly address some of her health issues before the death of her husband.

She had also shared a health update in May while announcing the cancellation of a planned Las Vegas residency. Parton said she was “responding really well to meds and treatments” and improving each day, but needed more time before she would be ready to perform on stage.

Who was Dolly Parton?

Dolly Parton was an American singer, songwriter, actress and businesswoman whose career spanned nearly six decades. She became one of country music’s biggest stars and the best-selling female country music artist of all time, with more than 160 million albums sold worldwide.

Parton released her debut album, Hello, I’m Dolly, in 1967 and went on to record some of music’s most recognisable songs, including Jolene, 9 to 5 and I Will Always Love You.

Born in 1946 in Pittman Center, Tennessee, Parton grew up in a poor family with 11 siblings. She began playing guitar and singing at her grandfather’s church when she was around six and started writing songs soon after.

Her first known song, Little Tiny Tasseltop, was inspired by a corncob doll with corn-silk hair.

“I loved that little doll,” Parton later wrote. “I expressed myself and my feelings through writing.”

From humble beginnings, Parton went on to become a global entertainment icon, while also earning widespread recognition for her acting, business ventures, and philanthropy.