Iconic country musician Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80, her family announced on her social media. “Global icon and humanitarian, Dolly Parton, known to the world as a beloved singer, songwriter, philanthropist, actress, playwright, and author, died peacefully today in Nashville, Tennessee. She was 80 years old.
“Dolly is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 59 years, Carl Thomas Dean (1942 – 2025), her mother, Avie Lee Caroline Owens (1923 – 2003), and father, Robert Lee Parton, Sr. (1921 – 2000).
“A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family. Dolly Parton’s legacy is one of love, compassion, and resilience. With a seven-decade career, she inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place.
“Her songs will continue to resonate across generations, and her philanthropy will leave an enduring legacy,” the statement noted. Born in 1946 into a poor farming family in Tennessee, Dolly Parton grew up in a one‑room cabin on the banks of the Little Pigeon River as the fourth of twelve children.
Her father, Robert Lee Parton, a tobacco farmer, famously paid a missionary with a sack of cornmeal for delivering her. Her mother, Avie Lee, filled the home with folk songs, while an aunt who wrote and played guitar and an uncle who accompanied her nurtured Dolly’s earliest performances.
By age six, she was singing in her grandfather’s church, and before reaching her teens, she was appearing on local television. At just thirteen, she achieved a milestone few ever reach—performing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, the pinnacle of country music.
Source: BBC
