(OPGOV, GLOBAL) — Dolly Parton, the singer, songwriter, actress and philanthropist whose music and unmistakable personality made her one of the most recognizable entertainers in the world, has died. She was 80.
Parton's nephew Bryan Seaver, the son of her sister Cassie Parton, announced her death Tuesday, Aug. 25, in a video statement on Instagram on behalf of the Parton and Owens families.
A cause of death was not immediately announced.
Seaver said Parton had asked him years ago to be the person who would one day announce her death — a request whose significance he did not fully comprehend at the time.
"This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality," Seaver said.
Seaver said he served as Parton's head of security for more than two decades, following his father, Larry, who held the role before him. He described delivering the announcement as an honor mixed with "absolute pride and grave sadness."
But Seaver said the sadness belonged to those Parton left behind.
"Sadness lies with us, not with Dolly," he said. "Dolly has lived in the light, and is in the arms of Jesus."
He said the family believes Parton was reunited with her husband, Carl Dean, her parents and other loved ones who died before her.
Dean, Parton's famously private husband of nearly six decades, died in March 2025. The couple married in 1966.
Parton's death closes a career that stretched more than six decades, taking her from a childhood in rural Tennessee to international stardom.
Dolly Parton performs during a Grand Ole Opry broadcast in Nashville, Tennessee, in April 2005. Parton died Aug. 25, 2026, at age 80. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Cherie A. Thurlby/Public Domain)
Born Jan. 19, 1946, Parton was one of 12 children and began performing as a child before moving to Nashville after graduating from high school. She became one of the best-selling artists of all time, with more than 100 million records sold worldwide and 11 Grammy Awards.
Her catalog includes some of the most recognizable songs in American popular music, including "Jolene," "Coat of Many Colors," "9 to 5" and "I Will Always Love You." The latter became a worldwide hit again when Whitney Houston recorded it for The Bodyguard.
Parton's influence stretched far beyond country music. She crossed into pop, starred in films including 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias, built the Dollywood entertainment destination in Tennessee and was inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Her philanthropy also became a major part of her legacy.
Parton launched Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in 1995 in her home county in Tennessee in honor of her father, who could not read or write. The program sends free books to children from birth to age 5 and has since expanded across the United States and internationally.
In announcing her death, Seaver focused on the doors Parton opened not only for her family but for generations of performers and fans.
"Dolly opened doors, not just for me, but for her entire family, to reach the potential we didn't even know was possible," Seaver said.
He said Parton also 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," Seaver said. "She never saw a door she couldn't open, and the doors she opened made and changed history."
For the Parton family, however, the global superstar was also a sister, aunt, granny and "Gigi."
Seaver recalled first going on the road with Parton as a child in the early 1980s. While his family shared a lifetime of memories with her, he said millions of fans developed their own connection to Parton through generations of music, television and film.
"She has always been on your television, your record player, your CD, and on your phone playlist, becoming an extended part of your family whether you liked it or not," Seaver said.
He said Parton's family and the team she entrusted with her legacy would work to ensure her spirit and influence continue.
Seaver also shared one of Parton's final wishes — one that reflected both her rural Tennessee roots and the rhinestone-covered image she carried throughout her career.
"Dolly was a farmer just like her dad," Seaver said. "He farmed the soil; she farmed songs and happiness."
Seaver said Parton told him she wanted to rest in "a beautiful bed of plush cotton" because, after a lifetime of wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserved to be comfortable and rest.
"Rest in peace, Aunt Dolly, and Granny, Gigi," Seaver said. "May God bless Dolly Parton, and may God bless you all."
He closed the family's announcement with words inseparable from Parton's legacy:
"She will always love you."
Story image: Publicity shot of American singer Dolly Parton, 1977. If you’d like to add or correct anything in this report, feel free to reach out to me or leave a comment below. Submit tips and story ideas to Sarah Denos at sarahkdenos@gmail.com.
0
0
Comments