Dolly Parton, the Tennessee-born singer and songwriter whose songs, including “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You” and “9 to 5,” made her one of country music’s most recognizable figures, has died at 80.
Parton died peacefully in Nashville, according to a statement from her public relations team. Her death prompted tributes from musicians, actors and political leaders after a career that stretched across seven decades.
Parton sold more than 100 million records worldwide and built a vast catalog of songs over her seven-decade career. Yet despite her success as a singer, actor and businesswoman, she often described herself first as a songwriter. She once called songwriting her way of expressing herself and her “therapy.”
From poverty to the Grand Ole Opry
Parton was born in 1946 and grew up as the fourth of 12 children in a poor farming family in Tennessee. Music surrounded her from an early age. She sang in church as a child and appeared on local television before reaching her teens.
A message from the family of Dolly Parton. pic.twitter.com/9DNRgRx0uH
— Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) August 25, 2026
At 13, she performed at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry. Her early records struggled to find an audience, but her career changed after she began working with country star Porter Wagoner. Their partnership produced a string of hits and gave Parton a national platform.
Her own songwriting eventually defined her career. She wrote “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” within days of each other. The latter was written as a farewell to Wagoner as Parton prepared to pursue an independent career.
‘9 to 5’ takes Parton beyond country music
Parton reached an even wider audience with the 1980 comedy 9 to 5, starring alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. She also wrote its theme song while working on the film.
Parton used her acrylic fingernails to create a rhythm that sounded like typewriter keys. “9 to 5” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won two Grammy Awards. It also earned Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations.
A legacy beyond the stage
Parton later expanded her business interests while remaining closely tied to Tennessee. Dollywood, her theme park in Pigeon Forge, became a celebration of the Smoky Mountains culture she grew up around.
Her philanthropy also became central to her public legacy. Inspired in part by her father’s inability to read and write, Parton launched the Imagination Library in 1995 to provide free books to children. The program later expanded beyond Tennessee and into other countries.
BREAKING: President Trump orders flags to be lowered throughout the U.S. for one week to honor music legend Dolly Parton after her passing.
"This is a true loss for millions of people. There has never been anyone like her, and never will… Rest in Peace, Dolly! The World loves… pic.twitter.com/UR5uJVXDDu
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 25, 2026
Parton’s husband of nearly six decades, Carl Dean, died in 2025 at 82. The couple had kept much of their marriage away from public view.
In recent months, Parton had faced health problems and withdrew from a planned Las Vegas residency. Following her death, President Donald Trump ordered U.S. flags lowered to half-staff for one week.
Fans also gathered at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville to leave memories and condolences in a guest book that will be delivered to Parton’s family. Keke Palmer, Paloma Faith and Jamie Lee Curtis were among the performers and actors who also paid tribute.
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