Country Music Legend Dolly Parton Dies at 80

Dolly Parton, the country music icon behind hits like “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” and “I Will Always Love You,” has died at age 80, her family announced on social media.

Parton had postponed an upcoming Las Vegas residency in October due to unspecified health issues. Her sister, Freida Parton, had asked fans to pray for the singer, revealing Parton needed “a few procedures” to deal with ongoing health challenges.

“Last night, I was up all night praying for my sister, Dolly,” Freida wrote on Facebook at the time. “Many of you know she hasn’t been feeling her best lately. Godspeed, my sissy Dolly. We all love you!”

After fans expressed alarm online, Freida clarified she hadn’t meant to suggest the situation was dire. Parton had been scheduled to perform six shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in December, which would have marked her first Las Vegas appearance since the 1990s, when she performed alongside “Islands in the Stream” duet partner Kenny Rogers. She had also withdrawn from a Dollywood event in September after being diagnosed with a kidney stone she said was causing significant pain.

Born in 1946 in Sevierville, Tennessee, Parton grew up in poverty and began performing as a child, singing on local radio by age 10. She recorded her first single, “Puppy Love,” at 13 and appeared at the Grand Ole Opry that same year. After moving to Nashville in 1964, she built a career as a songwriter before gaining wider visibility through her appearances on Porter Wagoner’s variety show from 1967 to 1974.

Her solo career took off with the 1974 releases of “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You,” the latter later covered to massive acclaim by Whitney Houston. Parton went on to cross into pop music and film, starring in “9 to 5” and releasing the accompanying soundtrack in 1980.

In 1986, she opened Dollywood, a Tennessee theme park celebrating her Appalachian roots that became a major tourist destination. Her philanthropic work included the Dollywood Foundation’s Imagination Library, which has donated millions of books to children.

Parton finished her career as one of the most honored female performers in country music history, with 11 Grammy Awards, three Emmys, and nominations for two Academy Awards, six Golden Globes, and a Tony Award. She recorded 48 studio albums over her lifetime, selling more than 100 million records worldwide.