I can’t even believe I’m typing this right now.
Announced this afternoon, the one and only icon herself and queen of country music, Dolly Parton, has passed away at 80 years old in Nashville, Tennessee. She is of course a beloved singer, songwriter, philanthropist, actress, playwright, and author died peacefully today in her home state.
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). Dolly had been dealing with some major health issues since last year, which she recently updated the public on during a Dollywood announcement last week.
Her team shared the following statement about her death:
“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 with people of all ages, and her philanthropic work will have a lasting impact.”
Dolly lost her longtime husband, Carl Dean, in May of last year, and they had been together for nearly 60 years. They shared a very long and happy marriage, though Dean purposefully remained out of the spotlight, a dynamic that certainly worked for them.
She just told People in an interview this week that she has hit “hard times with my health,” and a lot of what she is dealing with is things she let go while she was watching over her late husband, Carl Dean, and his health issues prior to his passing in March of last year:
“I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl.”
She is surely in a better place now and reunited with the love of her life.
Fans know that Dolly grew up very poor (well, money-wise), in the mountains of east Tennessee. Born on January 19th, 1946, she became a beloved musician because she’s obviously an incredible talent in the music world, but I think it’s safe to say that what most people admire about her is what an amazing person she was. Through philanthropic efforts like her Imagination Library Foundation, giving back was always at the top of her to-do list.
Dolly had 11 brothers and sisters, though she always noted how much love they had in their family, even if everybody in their area was poor with three o’s. She spoke throughout her life about the struggles that they faced as children, and how hard her parents worked to provide what they could, and she kept that down-to-earth, salt of the earth demeanor with her throughout her life.
At just 10 years old, Dolly began singing on local radio and TV shows and debuted on the Grand Ole Opry stage at just 13, where she met Johnny Cash and has told some great stories about it over the years. She made her big move to Nashville a few years later when she turned 18, and it was on that fateful first day in town that she met Carl Dean outside of the Wishy Washy laundromat, because Dolly had moved out so fast, she didn’t take the time to wash all of her clothes.
From there, she ended up on the Porter Wagoner Show for several years, and eventually made the leap towards a solo career, and the rest, as they say, is history. Dolly was also an actress, staring in classics like “9 to 5” and my personal favorite, “Steel Magnolias.”
Of course, she’s know for timeless hits like “Coat of Many Colors,” “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” “Here You Come Again,” and “I Will Always Love You,” and throughout her illustrious career, Dolly put out 50 studio albums and charted 25 #1 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. In addition, she released 13 Collaborative albums with Porter Wagoner, as well as nine live albums and six soundtrack albums. She was of course a Country Music Hall of Fame member, as well as a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The family has understandably not revealed exactly what happened, though Dolly herself had previously shared that she struggled with kidney stones and had initially cited that as her reason for taking a break from work when she first announced it last year.
It is truly impossible to sum up everything Dolly has done and what she means to this world beyond just her music, but the family put it up beautifully:
“Dolly Parton’s life is a testament to dreaming big, believing in yourself, and lifting up others. Beyond her musical achievements, Dolly Parton was a trailblazer for artists in the entertainment industry. She broke barriers and defied expectations, becoming one of the most successful and influential singer-songwriters of all time.”
Beyond all of the fame and accolades, Dolly focused on giving back to others and sharing her God-given talents with the word. She was a strong Christian throughout her life, an example to us all, and genuinely one-of-a-kind in a way that is beyond iconic or legendary. She never let a single person change who she was, or steer her of course from what she believed in, from her looks, to her music, and everything that made her who she was, Dolly was as authentic and special as they come.
Her impact on this world cannot begin to be overstated, and I’m sure all of you reading this love Dolly as much as I do, and we all know the magic of Dolly. The world will be a far less place without her in it, there’s no doubt about that, but she is in a much better place now, reunited with the love of her life after a job well done on this planet. She shared her heart, her faith, and went through life actually trying to make it a better place and lift people up with every breathe she took.
At Dolly’s request, a small, private service will be held for immediate family. Dolly’s fans and friends from around the world are encouraged to pay tribute to Dolly on social media by tagging @DollyParton or by leaving a message at www.dollyparton.com. In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at www.imaginationlibrary.com, the charity she started in honor of her father, who never learned to read or write but as she put it, was one of the smartest men she ever knew.
Her family also shared the following statement:
Rest In Peace, Dolly Parton.
To be a beacon of light and hope the way Dolly has been for her entire life is something the rest of us can only try and strive for. There will never, ever be another one like her.
