Tennessee icon Dolly Parton passed away at the age of 80, her family revealed Tuesday afternoon.
Parton’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, announced the passing of his aunt in a video posted to the singer’s official social media accounts.
Seaver, who has served as Parton’s head of security for more than two decades after taking on the role his father once held, said the video announcing Parton’s passing was “something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality.”
“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 have longed for her to meet them in the heavens,” Seaver said.
He continued, saying Parton has “opened doors for generations of singers, songwriters, musicians, and 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,” Seaver added. “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.”
Moving forward, Seaver said Parton’s family and team “will work diligently to ensure her spirit will live with us forever.”
Parton’s Tennessee roots remained central to her life and legacy.
Earlier this year, Governor Bill Lee proclaimed January 19 as “Dolly Parton Day” in Tennessee in recognition of her 80th birthday, describing her as a Tennessee favorite whose talent, generosity, and influence had made a “lasting impact” on the state and around the world.
Days earlier, Lee and Parton unveiled Tennessee: The Original Frontier, a short film celebrating Tennessee’s role in American history as part of the state’s America 250 commemoration. Parton narrated the film, highlighting the state’s history, culture, and people.
Parton was born January 19, 1946, in Locust Ridge, Tennessee, the fourth of 12 children. Raised in the Appalachian mountains of East Tennessee, she grew up in a poor family where music played a central role in daily life.
She began performing as a child and made her first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry at age 13. After graduating from high school, Parton moved to Nashville in 1964 to pursue a career in music.
Her breakthrough came after she joined The Porter Wagoner Show in 1967. She went on to establish herself as a solo artist, songwriter, and performer, eventually becoming one of the world’s most recognizable entertainers.
Her catalog included such enduring hits as “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors,” and “I Will Always Love You.” She also found success in Hollywood, starring in films including 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias, and became a successful businesswoman through ventures including Dollywood in East Tennessee and the newly opened Dolly’s Tennesseean Travel Stop in Cornersville, off I-65.
Parton was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
Another part of Parton’s legacy came through her philanthropy.
In 1995, she launched Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in her home county in East Tennessee, inspired by her father’s inability to read and write. The program provides free books to children from birth through age five and has since expanded across five countries.
The Imagination Library has registered more than 3.1 million children and gifted more than 332 million books, according to the organization.
President Donald Trump mourned Parton’s death Tuesday, calling her “one of the greatest Country singers, and far beyond, EVER.”
“This is a true loss for millions of people,” Trump said. “There has never been anyone like her, and never will.”
Trump also announced that he was ordering American flags to be lowered across the nation for one week in Parton’s honor, beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
“Rest in Peace, Dolly! The World loves you,” Trump said.
Tennessee’s congressional delegation also mourned the loss of the state’s most famous icons.
U.S. Senator and Republican gubernatorial nominee Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) said there were “no words to adequately express the sorrow” felt by her family and Tennesseans following Parton’s death.
“An iconic leader who loved our great state and nation. Her passing leaves a void that no one can ever fill,” Blackburn said. “Dolly, we will always love you.”
U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) called Parton “one of our greatest ambassadors.”
“Her music inspired generations of Americans, and her philanthropic work helped provide greater access to education for countless young Tennesseans,” Burchett said. “She represented the very best of the American Dream, and her legacy will live on for generations to come. Rest in peace, Dolly.”
U.S. Representative Diana Harshbarger (R-TN-01), whose district includes Parton’s native Sevier County, said Parton remained connected to East Tennessee despite her worldwide fame.
“Dolly Parton was one of ours,” Harshbarger said. “She grew up in the hills of Sevier County, right here in Tennessee’s First District, and no matter how big her star got, she never stopped being one of us.”
“Her music, her generosity, and her love for these mountains will outlast every one of us,” she added. “Today, East Tennessee is praying for her family and grieving one of our own.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “Dolly Parton” by Timothy Wildey. CC BY-NC 2.0.
