NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WGNS News) - Country music has lost one of its most recognizable voices, while Tennessee is mourning one of its most celebrated native daughters. Dolly Parton, whose remarkable career included success as a singer, songwriter, actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist, died Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at the age of 80. Her family announced her death Tuesday afternoon. No immediate details were provided about the cause of her death.
Dolly Parton had over 110 charted singles that spanned 7 decades, at least 25 number one hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart and wrote more than 3,000 songs to include "Jolene," "9 to 5" and many, many more...
Born January 19, 1946, in East Tennessee, Parton grew up in a large family with modest means before beginning a journey that eventually made her one of the world's best-known entertainers. She started performing at a young age on local radio and television programs in East Tennessee. By age 10, she was appearing on The Cas Walker Show in Knoxville, and at 13 she recorded "Puppy Love" and appeared at the Grand Ole Opry. After moving to Nashville, Parton initially found success writing songs, with her work recorded by performers including Bill Phillips, Skeeter Davis, Kitty Wells and Hank Williams Jr.
Parton's career took another major step forward in 1967 when Porter Wagoner brought her aboard The Porter Wagoner Show. Their partnership introduced her to a much larger national audience and produced a successful string of duets. At the same time, Parton continued building her own identity as a solo performer. By the early 1970s, songs such as "Joshua," "Coat of Many Colors" and "My Tennessee Mountain Home" were helping establish her as a major country star. "Jolene," released in late 1973, climbed to the top of the country chart in 1974 and ultimately became one of the songs most closely associated with her career.
Parton's abilities as a songwriter became every bit as important to her legacy as her distinctive singing voice. She wrote "I Will Always Love You" as she prepared to move away from her professional partnership with Wagoner and concentrate on her solo career. Her recording reached the top of the country chart in 1974. Nearly two decades later, the song reached an entirely new audience when Whitney Houston recorded it for the 1992 movie The Bodyguard. Along with "Jolene" and "Coat of Many Colors," the song helped establish Parton as one of the most recognizable songwriters to emerge from country music.
Her success eventually stretched far beyond traditional country music. The 1977 album Here You Come Again became her first million-selling album and helped introduce Parton to an even larger pop audience. A few years later, she starred alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in the 1980 movie 9 to 5. Parton wrote and performed the movie's title song, which became a major country and pop hit. She later teamed with Kenny Rogers for "Islands in the Stream," which reached No. 1 in 1983. Her growing acting career also made her a familiar face to movie audiences, further expanding a celebrity status that already extended well beyond Nashville.
Even as musical tastes changed, Parton repeatedly found ways to connect with new generations. She recorded acclaimed projects with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt, explored bluegrass and continued collaborating with artists from numerous musical genres. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999 and, more than two decades later, joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. Her 2023 rock album Rockstar included an all-star lineup of collaborators such as Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Elton John, Sting, Sheryl Crow and Miley Cyrus. The project reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200, marking the highest position of Parton's solo studio albums on that chart.
For Tennesseans, Parton's importance reached well beyond the recording studio and concert stage. Her East Tennessee upbringing remained an important part of her identity throughout her life, while Dollywood became a major tourist attraction in the Smoky Mountains. Her charitable work also became an enormous part of her legacy. Through the Imagination Library, books have been provided to young children in communities across the United States and beyond. Parton additionally supported education, disaster recovery, medical research and other charitable causes, building a reputation for generosity that became nearly as recognizable as the music she created.
Parton's final years remained active despite health concerns. Her longtime husband, Carl Dean, died in March 2025, ending a marriage that had lasted nearly six decades. Parton later faced health issues of her own and ultimately canceled a planned Las Vegas residency. Still, she continued recording and making public appearances.
In January 2026, shortly before celebrating her 80th birthday, she released a new version of "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" featuring Queen Latifah, Lainey Wilson, Miley Cyrus, Reba McEntire and David Foster. In March, she made another major public appearance during Dollywood's 41st anniversary celebration.
Her death closes one of the most extraordinary careers in country music history, but her influence will continue through the songs she wrote, the performers she inspired, the businesses she helped build and the charitable programs bearing her name.
Her husband of nearly six decades, Carl Dean, died in March 2025 at age 82 (See more about Dolly Parton's tribute to Carl Dean HERE).
Her passing marks the end of an extraordinary era in country music, while her timeless songs, successful ventures and charitable work will keep Dolly Parton's legacy deeply rooted in Tennessee and across American culture for generations to come.
Dolly Parton Milestones
- 1946 - Dolly Rebecca Parton was born on January 19 near Sevierville, Tennessee, one of 12 children.
- 1951 - At about age 5, Parton wrote an early song, “Little Tiny Tassle Top,” inspired by a homemade corncob doll.
- 1956 - Became a regular performer on ** The Cas Walker Show ** in Knoxville.
- 1957 to 1959 - Recorded “Puppy Love” for Goldband Records; the single was released in 1959.
- 1959 - At age 13, made her first appearance at the Grand Ole Opry, where she was introduced by Johnny Cash.
- 1964 - After graduating from high school, moved to Nashville to pursue songwriting and a professional music career.
- 1967 - Joined Porter Wagoner on The Porter Wagoner Show, helping introduce Parton to a national country-music audience.
- 1971 - Scored her first No. 1 country single with “Joshua” and released “Coat of Many Colors,” which became one of her signature songs.
- 1974 - “Jolene” reached No. 1 on the country chart.
- 1974 - “I Will Always Love You,” written as a farewell to her professional partnership with Porter Wagoner, became another No. 1 country hit.
- 1977 - Released ** Here You Come Again **, which helped establish Parton as a successful country-to-pop crossover performer.
- 1979 - Received her first Grammy Award, winning Best Country Vocal Performance, Female for “Here You Come Again” at the 21st Grammy Awards.
- 1980 - Made her major motion-picture debut in ** 9 to 5 ** alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. The title song earned Parton an Academy Award nomination.
- 1981 - “9 to 5” reached No. 1 on both the country and pop charts and earned Parton two Grammy Awards.
- 1982 - Starred alongside Burt Reynolds in ** The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas ** and recorded a new version of “I Will Always Love You.”
- 1983 - Joined Kenny Rogers for “Islands in the Stream,” one of the biggest crossover hits of her career.
- 1986 - Dollywood officially opened on May 3 near her hometown in East Tennessee.
- 1986 - Inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
- 1987 - Released ** Trio ** with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt. The successful collaboration won a Grammy and other major country-music honors.
- 1992 - Whitney Houston recorded “I Will Always Love You” for The Bodyguard. Houston's recording became a worldwide smash and introduced Parton's composition to another generation.
- 1995 - Launched Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, initially providing free books to young children in her home county before the program expanded across the United States and internationally.
- 1999 - Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
- 2001 - Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
- 2004 - Received the Library of Congress Living Legend Award.
- 2005 - Received the National Medal of Arts.
- 2006 - Received the Kennedy Center Honors.
- 2011 - Received the Recording Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award.
- 2016 - Following devastating wildfires in East Tennessee, Parton established the My People Fund to provide financial assistance to families who lost their homes.
- 2020 - Donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for COVID-19 research, funding that contributed to research connected with development of the Moderna vaccine.
- 2022 - Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
- 2023 - Released her first rock album, ** Rockstar **, featuring collaborations with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Elton John, Sting, Miley Cyrus and numerous other performers.
- 2025 - Her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, died at age 82.
- 2025 - Received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in recognition of her extensive charitable work.
- 2026 - Celebrated her 80th birthday on January 19.
- August 25, 2026 - Dolly Parton died at age 80 in Nashville, bringing to a close a career that stretched across music, movies, television, business and philanthropy.
