Country music icon Dolly Parton dies at 80 years old
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Country music legend Dolly Parton passed away on Tuesday, August 25, at the age of 80. Her family announced her passing in a statement read by her nephew and head of security, Bryan Seaver.
“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.”
Dolly is preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Carl Thomas Dean, who passed away in 2025. Her official cause of death was confirmed to be a “brief battle with cancer”, according to her team.
The pop icon’s discography includes timeless hits like “I Will Always Love You,” “Jolene,” and “9 to 5,” among others, over her 60-year musical and acting career.
Parton was also a beloved and longtime ally to the LGBTQ community. She frequently praised those who saw themselves as different, even encouraging those to live their truth.
“I just want everybody to be treated good,” she said regarding Tennessee’s anti-trans laws back in 2023.
“I have some of everybody in my own immediate family and in my circle of employees… I’ve got transgender people. I’ve got gays. I’ve got lesbians. I’ve got drunks. I’ve got drug addicts — all within my own family. I know and love them all, and I do not judge.
“And I just see how broken-hearted they get over certain things, and I know how real they are,” she continued to say. “If there’s something to be judged, that is God’s business. But we are all God’s children and how we are is who we are.”
Her 1991 song “Family” became a landmark track for country music by including the word “gay” in a positive manner.
"Some are preachers, some are gay, some are addicts, some are strays, but not a one is turned away, when it's family," the lyrics read.
The country music star spoke out in support of marriage equality back in 2014, saying, "I don't want to be controversial or stir up a bunch of trouble, but people are going to love who they are going to love. I think gay couples should be allowed to marry. They should suffer just like us heterosexuals. Ha ha ha!”