Dolly Parton has died at 80 following a brief battle with cancer, her representatives confirmed Tuesday, Aug. 25, saying the country music legend was surrounded by loved ones at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville.
Parton’s representatives said she spent her life bringing “joy, laughter, hope and integrity” to everything she touched. They also highlighted the enormous reach of her generosity, particularly through her Imagination Library and her support for medical research.
The type of cancer Parton was battling was not disclosed.
Her death came after a period of health problems that had become increasingly public. Parton had been admitted to the Nashville cancer center on Friday, Aug. 21, four days before her death.
According to reports included in the family’s announcement, Parton’s loved ones knew she had been sick but still believed she would recover, making her death particularly difficult for those closest to her.
Just days before her death, Parton had publicly acknowledged that she was dealing with health issues. In an interview published Friday, she said she had been managing health problems that she had previously neglected while caring for her late husband, Carl Dean.
Even then, Parton said she intended to keep working.
“I’m still healin’, I’m still workin’!” she told PEOPLE, adding that she still had projects and ambitions she wanted to bring to life.
That determination became a defining part of Parton’s public image. For more than six decades, she built one of the most recognizable careers in entertainment, becoming a country music superstar while also establishing herself as an actress, businesswoman and philanthropist.
Her catalog included enduring hits such as “Jolene,” “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You.” She was also described as the best-selling female country music artist of all time, with more than 160 million albums sold worldwide.
But Parton’s influence stretched far beyond the recording studio.
Through her Imagination Library, she helped put hundreds of millions of books into the hands of children. Her representatives also pointed to her financial support for medical research, including work connected to a lifesaving vaccine used around the world.
That philanthropic legacy became a central part of the statement announcing her death.
“Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched,” her representatives said, emphasizing the unconditional love they described as the driving force behind her lasting impact.
Parton’s death also closes a deeply personal chapter that had already seen significant loss. Her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, died in March 2025. Parton had described their marriage as a lasting love built largely away from the spotlight, with Dean choosing to remain out of public life while supporting her career.
Now, the woman behind some of country music’s most enduring songs leaves behind a legacy that reaches music, film, business and philanthropy.
Dolly Parton spent more than six decades building that legacy. At 80, her voice has gone quiet—but the songs, books and countless lives touched by her generosity remain.
