Iconic country music singer Dolly Parton has died at 80 years old.
The legendary singer had been undergoing a recent health battle, and her family confirmed her death in a video statement released on Tuesday.
It is understood the 9-5 hitmaker had been struggling with her health, with some upcoming gigs having been cancelled.
The Tennessee-born star enjoyed a six-decade career after finding fame through some of the biggest hits in country music, such as Jolene, Islands in the Stream and 9-5.
Ms Parton sold more than 100 million records world wide and was awarded 11 Grammys.
She had recently cancelled performances that had been scheduled for December due to health reasons, stating she had to undergo “a few procedures.”
The iconic singer was also forced to pull out of a Dollywood event earlier this year due to a kidney stone.
In March 2025, she received floods of support from fans after announcing the death of her husband of almost 60 years, Carl Dean.
Ms Parton’s nephew Brian Seaver confirmed the shock news of her death in a video shared on her Instagram page.
It was captioned: “A message from the family of Dolly Parton,” with Mr Seaver stating: “I am representing the Parton and Owens family today, announcing the passing of my aunt, Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean.
“Sister, sis, aunt, granny to one generation and ‘Gigi’ to the next.
“This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago before I fully absorbed it as a future reality.”
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He went on: “As her head of security for more than two decades, a role my father Larry held before me, I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven’t truly felt it until now.
“It is an honour, an honour that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness. But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly.
“Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents and countless others who have watched her and longed to meet her in the heavens.
“I first went on the road with Dolly as a kid, getting a taste of the road life in the early 1980s. Dolly opened doors, not just for me, but for her entire family to reach the potential we didn’t even know was possible.”
“Dolly also opened doors for generations of singers, songwriters, musicians, dreamers from every walk of life, and across every continent.
“By her example, we believed that anything was possible.
“She never saw a door she couldn’t open, and the doors she opened made and changed history. My family and I have shared a lifetime of beautiful memories with Dolly, but so have you.
“She has always been on your television, your record player, your CD, and on your phone playlist, becoming an extended part of your family whether you liked it or not.
“Our family and the team she has entrusted with her legacy will work diligently to ensure her spirit will live with us forever.”
He went on to reflect on Ms Parton’s life, noting she was “a farmer just like her daddy,” adding: “He farmed the soil, she farmed songs and happiness.”
He ended the statement: “May God bless Dolly Parton, and may God bless you all.”
Fans instantly took to social media to express their shock and grief over the news.
“Thank you for making the world a better place,” one penned, with a second sharing similar sentiments.
It read: “Thank you, Dolly! You made the world a better place.”
“I am DEVASTATED. What an absolute icon this woman was. May she rest in peace,” another wrote.
A fourth shared: “Rest in peace, Queen, Angel, Friend to All. We love you.”
“Thank you for the entertainment and the inspiration. Rest in Peace,” another echoed.
“The good ones always go too soon, but her legacy will will live on forever. RIP,” one more posted. (sic)
The beloved singer’s career launched in 1980 when she starred in 9 to 5 alongside Jane Fonda.
It became her first number one single in the Hot 100 in the US.
Ms Parton wrote and originally sang I Will Always Love You as a goodbye to her former creative partner Porter Wagoner.
He had hired her to be his sidekick on The Porter Wagoner Show and helped her to land a record deal.
The song went on to become one of the defining love songs of all time after Whitney Houston covered the hit for 1992 film, The Bodyguard.
Away from her incredible career, Ms Parton also dedicated herself to making a difference to others.
Through her Dollywood Foundation, she established a literacy programme that posted a book each month to every child in the county from birth to age five.
Since launching in 1995, the initiative has sent out more than 300 million children’s books globally, with six million distributed in Britain alone.
No exact cause of Ms Parton’s death has yet been disclosed.
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