Dolly Parton had largely stayed out of the public eye over the past year as she dealt with unspecified health issues. The health concerns forced the “9 to 5” singer and songwriter to limit her public appearances and first postpone, then cancel, a planned 2025 Las Vegas residency.
Her death comes 17 months after the death of her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, who died March 3, 2025, at age 82.
“At Dolly’s request, a small, private service will be held for immediate family,” a press release said. “Dolly’s fans and friends from around the world are encouraged to pay tribute to Dolly on social media by tagging @DollyParton or by leaving a message at www.dollyparton.com. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at www.imaginationlibrary.com.” Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, shared a message on Instagram after her death.
Parton often joked, “The magic with me is that I look completely false when I’m completely real.” She was known for her glamorous appearance and self-aware humor, but also for her powerful soprano voice and songwriting. Artists ranging from Whitney Houston (“I Will Always Love You”) to the White Stripes (“Jolene”) covered her work.
Parton began to gain national attention in 1967 when she replaced Norma Jean as Porter Wagoner’s co-host and duet partner on his weekly TV show. She and Wagoner placed 20 duets on the country charts. Her first charting song, “Dumb Blonde,” arrived in 1966, but her breakthrough came with a 1970 cover of Jimmie Rodgers’ “Mule Skinner Blues,” which reached No. 3 on the Hot Country Songs chart.
She wrote and recorded many hits, including “Coat of Many Colors” and “My Tennessee Mountain Home.” “Jolene,” released in 1973, became her most-covered song and crossed over to the pop charts.
In 1974, Parton wrote “I Will Always Love You” as a farewell to Wagoner. The song became a No. 1 country hit for her in 1974 and again in 1982. Whitney Houston’s 1992 cover introduced it to a global audience, and Parton’s duet with Vince Gill in 1995 brought it back to the country charts. Parton turned down Elvis Presley’s request to record the song because his manager demanded half the publishing royalties.
“I Will Always Love You” also served as the closing theme for her syndicated variety show, “Dolly!,” which aired in 1976 and 1977. She expanded her audience with her first Billboard Hot 100 top 10, “Here You Come Again,” in 1978. Her 1981 hit “9 to 5,” the theme for the film of the same name, topped charts in multiple categories. She scored another No. 1 with the Kenny Rogers duet “Islands in the Stream” in 1983. In total, she topped the Hot 100 twice and led the Hot Country Songs chart 25 times.
Parton shifted her focus in the mid-1980s. In 1986, she bought the Silver Dollar City theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and reopened it as Dollywood. She recorded the platinum album “Trio” in 1987 with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris.
After her role in “Steel Magnolias” in 1989, Parton focused on recording and rarely performed live during the 1990s. Her 1994 memoir, “Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business,” reflected on her career. She released “Honky Tonk Angels” with Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette in 1993 and “Trio II” in 1999. She returned to bluegrass with the Grammy-winning “The Grass Is Blue” in 1999, followed by “Little Sparrow” in 2001 and “Halos & Horns” in 2002.
In the 2000s, Parton toured in North America and Europe and performed at England’s Glastonbury Festival in 2014. She launched Dolly Records in 2008, debuting with “Backwoods Barbie.” A 2003 tribute album, “Just Because I’m a Woman: Songs of Dolly Parton,” featured covers by Norah Jones, Shania Twain and Melissa Etheridge.
The 2015 TV movie “Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors” was based on her 1971 autobiographical song. That same year, Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort opened. Even in her seventies, Parton’s voice and persona remained consistent, and she often spoke openly about her cosmetic surgeries.
Parton’s career surged again in recent years. In 2023, her album “Rockstar” debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on Top Album Sales. The album included collaborations with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Sting, Miley Cyrus, Lizzo and Elton John.
Nielsen named Parton the world’s most marketable country artist in 2017. She licensed her name for products ranging from cake mixes to greeting cards.
Parton used her wealth to create the Imagination Library, which has donated over 150 million books to children. She donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center to help fund the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. While she often avoided politics, Parton spoke out for equality. “Of course Black lives matter,” she told Billboard in 2020. “Do we think our little white asses are the only ones that matter? No!”
She also supported the LGBTQIA community. In 2005, she earned her second Oscar nomination for “Travelin’ Thru,” written for the film “Transamerica.” Over her seven-decade career, Parton earned 55 Grammy nominations, won 10, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.
In her seventies, she collaborated with Belinda Carlisle, Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry and Gloria Estefan on “Gonna Be You” for the film “80 For Brady.” She also appeared on a deluxe edition of Sabrina Carpenter’s “Please Please Please” in 2025.
She released “If You Hadn’t Been There” in March 2025, a tribute to her late husband. Parton had scheduled a Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace in late 2025, but canceled the shows in May 2026 due to ongoing health issues.
Parton often said she saw her life as a calling. “As the scripture says, ‘To whom much is given, much is required,’” she told Billboard in 2020. She said she hoped to inspire others, adding, “That makes me feel good.”
Do you have a favorite Dolly Parton song or memory? How do you think her legacy will shape country music in the future? Share your thoughts.