Dolly Parton, Country Music Icon, Dies at 80 in Nashville
Dolly Parton, legendary country music star, died at the age of 80 on Tuesday in Nashville, Tennessee, following a battle with cancer, as confirmed by her publicist. Parton underwent treatment at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. Her illustrious music career, which began in childhood, spanned over six decades. By age 10, she was honing her guitar skills and performing on local television, and at 13, she made her debut at the Grand Ole Opry. Parton wrote many hits, including "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You." A musical about her life is slated for a 2027 premiere, coinciding with her 81st birthday.
Key facts
- Dolly Parton died at age 80 on Tuesday in Nashville, Tennessee.
- She died at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center after a brief battle with cancer.
- Her publicist, Marcel Pariseau, confirmed her death.
- Parton wrote over 100 million selling songs, including 'Jolene' and 'I Will Always Love You.'
- She had 55 Grammy nominations and 10 wins.
- She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
- She received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2025.
- Her musical 'DOLLY: A True Original Musical' is set to open on Jan. 19, 2027.
Entities
Artists
- Dolly Parton
- Porter Wagoner
- Johnny Cash
- Bill Owens
- Fred Foster
- Elvis Presley
- Whitney Houston
- Miley Cyrus
- Olivia Newton-John
- The White Stripes
- Kenny Rogers
- Jane Fonda
- Lily Tomlin
- Linda Ronstadt
- Emmylou Harris
- Barry Gibb
- Maurice Gibb
- Robin Gibb
- Carl Dean
- Roger Ebert
- Bob Thomas
- Jad Abumrad
- James Patterson
Institutions
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
- Grand Ole Opry
- RCA
- Country Music Association
- Recording Academy
- Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
- Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation
- American Film Institute
- Dollywood Foundation
- Imagination Library
- Dollywood
- NPR
- The Associated Press
Locations
- Nashville
- Tennessee
- Los Angeles
- New York
- Tokyo
- Smoky Mountains
- East Tennessee
- Appalachia