Dolly Parton, the iconic country singer, songwriter, actress and philanthropist, has died at 80, her family announced on August 25. The news was shared in an Instagram video by her nephew, Bryan Seaver, who said he was speaking on behalf of the Parton and Owens family. A cause of death has not been released.
Parton’s career spanned decades and earned her widespread acclaim: she won 11 Grammy Awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, acted in films such as Steel Magnolias, and inspired a stage production, Dolly: A True Original Musical, which had been scheduled to open in the coming months. Her ventures also included Dollywood, a theme park in the Smoky Mountains, and the Imagination Library, a children’s book-gifting program that has distributed millions of books.
Seaver — who served as Parton’s head of security for more than 20 years, following his father Larry in that role — delivered the family announcement. He said Parton had asked him years earlier to make this kind of announcement when the time came. In the video he referred to her by her full name, Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean, and said she was “in the arms of Jesus” and likely reunited with her late husband, parents and others who had gone before her. He recounted Parton’s wish to “rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton” after a life of wearing heavy rhinestones, and he closed by asking fans to keep her in their thoughts.
Parton was preceded in death by her husband, Carl Thomas Dean, who died in March 2025. The couple married in 1966 and were together for nearly 60 years; Dean largely remained out of the public spotlight during their marriage.
In recent months Parton’s health had been a concern. She had posted updates to fans about ongoing medical issues and treatments. In an Instagram reel on May 4 she described some “good news and a little bad news,” saying she was responding well to medications and improving daily but had not specified a precise diagnosis. She mentioned long-standing problems with kidney stones and said her immune and digestive systems had been “out of whack” over the prior three years, and that her care team was working on rebuilding and strengthening them.
Parton had earlier postponed Las Vegas concerts and had told fans she needed procedures to address “health challenges.” She apologized for canceling shows, explaining some treatments left her feeling dizzy and unsteady — not ideal for performing with instruments and five-inch heels. She also said she was focusing on opening a museum and hotel in Nashville and continuing work on her Broadway musical.
After her husband’s death, Parton publicly thanked fans for their support and said the outpouring of love had helped her heal.
Dolly Parton’s influence reached far beyond country music: she was a songwriter whose work crossed genres, a beloved public figure in film and theater, and a philanthropist known for longstanding efforts to promote literacy and support communities. Her achievements, charitable work and distinct creative voice leave a lasting cultural legacy.
