Legendary country music singer, songwriter and philanthropist Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer, her representatives have announced, per bbc.com.
The iconic artist passed away at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, surrounded by loved ones.
Parton sold more than 100 million records worldwide and wrote over 3,000 songs across a career spanning six decades. Raised in poverty in a one-room cabin in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee as the fourth of 12 children, she rose to global stardom with timeless hits such as “Jolene,” “9 to 5” and “Coat of Many Colors”.
Beyond her music, Parton was a prolific businesswoman and philanthropist. Her net worth was estimated at $450 million in June 2025. She famously retained the publishing rights to her song “I Will Always Love You,” which later became a massive global hit for Whitney Houston in 1992, earning millions in royalties. She also dedicated decades to charitable causes, most notably founding the Imagination Library, which provided millions of free books to children worldwide, and donating $1 million toward Covid-19 vaccine research in 2020.
Tributes poured in from global leaders, entertainers and fans. US President Donald Trump ordered American flags to be lowered in her honour for one week. Former US presidents Bill Clinton, George W Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden praised her cultural impact, philanthropy, and advocacy. Music stars including Beyoncé, Shania Twain, Sir Paul McCartney and Elton John also shared heartfelt condolences, celebrating her as an irreplaceable trailblazer and a unifying cultural force.