BREAKING: DOLLY PARTON, COUNTRY MUSIC LEGEND, DIES AT 80 AFTER HEALTH BATTLE

American country music icon, songwriter, actress and philanthropist, Dolly Parton, has died at the age of 80, her family announced on Tuesday, August 25, 2026.

Parton, whose career spanned more than five decades and produced some of the most recognisable songs in country music history, died in Nashville, Tennessee. Her family has not disclosed a cause of death.

The announcement was made by her nephew, Bryan Seaver, in a video shared on social media on behalf of the Parton and Owens families. The family said a small, private funeral service would be held for immediate relatives.

Fans and friends have been encouraged to honour Parton’s memory by sharing tributes on social media and leaving messages on her website, while the family has requested donations to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in lieu of flowers.

Parton’s death came just days after she publicly addressed ongoing health challenges and insisted that she remained determined to continue working despite her condition.

In an interview with PEOPLE published on Friday, August 21, Parton revealed that she had neglected some of her health problems while caring for her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, who died in March 2025.

“As I’ve shared in video messages throughout the past year, I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl,” she said.

Parton explained that her health struggles were not entirely new, recalling that she had experienced serious health problems in the early 1980s, including a period when she was bedridden for several months.

She also acknowledged that grief following Dean’s death had affected her physically, emotionally and spiritually.

“But I think because we live in a 24/7 world with social media, everything gets magnified in ways it wasn’t years ago,” Parton said, adding humorously that she had gone from being known as the “Queen of the Tabloids” to the “Queen of Social Media AI.”

Despite her health problems, Parton remained determined to continue pursuing her professional projects.

“Even though I’m still healin’, I’m still workin’!” she told PEOPLE, stressing that she still had many things she wanted to accomplish.

Her health concerns had become increasingly public in recent months.

Earlier in August, Parton missed the opening of a new attraction at her Dollywood theme park after doctors advised her not to travel. In a video message to fans, she explained that she had been experiencing dizziness and dehydration while undergoing treatment.

“All is going well on the medical end of things,” she assured fans at the time, while acknowledging that she had been dealing with “a few little health issues.”

She had also postponed planned performances and other appearances because of her health, including a Las Vegas residency.

Parton leaves behind an extraordinary musical and cultural legacy.

Born on January 19, 1946, in Tennessee, she grew up in poverty as one of 12 children and began performing music from a very young age. She launched her recording career with her 1967 debut album, “Hello, I’m Dolly,” and quickly established herself as one of the most prolific songwriters and performers in country music.

Over the course of her career, Parton produced a catalogue of timeless songs, including “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” “Coat of Many Colors,” “I Will Always Love You” and “My Tennessee Mountain Home.”

“I Will Always Love You,” which Parton originally wrote and recorded, later became a global phenomenon after Whitney Houston’s version featured prominently in the 1992 film “The Bodyguard.”

Parton’s success extended far beyond music. She became an accomplished actress, entrepreneur and businesswoman, most notably through Dollywood, the theme park she helped transform into one of Tennessee’s major tourist attractions.

She also became one of America’s most prominent philanthropists through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, a literacy initiative that provides free books to children. The programme has distributed hundreds of millions of books to young readers around the world.

Her influence earned her numerous honours during a career that crossed generations and musical boundaries. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and received multiple Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Parton also received recognition for her contributions to American culture, entertainment and philanthropy, while her charitable work extended into education, healthcare, disaster relief and other causes.

Her ability to combine songwriting, entertainment, business and philanthropy made her one of the most recognisable and influential figures in American popular culture.

Parton’s death marks the end of an extraordinary era for country music. From her humble beginnings in rural Tennessee to becoming a global superstar, she built a legacy that extended well beyond the stage and touched millions of people through her music, films, businesses and charitable work.

Her death also comes only four days after she publicly declared that she was still determined to work and bring her remaining dreams to life.

“Even though I’m still healin’, I’m still workin’!” she said.

Dolly Parton was 80.