Dolly Parton died following a “brief battle with cancer”, her publicist has confirmed, as US President Donald Trump ordered flags to be lowered in honour of the country music legend.
The singer-songwriter died aged 80 at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville surrounded by loved ones.
“After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones,” her publicist Marcel Pariseau said in a statement.
The type of cancer has not been disclosed.
The bronze statue of late US singer-songwriter Dolly Parton surrounded by flowers and balloons
Parton’s death was announced on Tuesday by her nephew Bryan Seaver, who also served as the singer’s head of security.
He said it was “an honour that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness” to share the news, adding: “But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly.
“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 longed to meet her in the heavens.”
Parton’s husband Carl Dean died last year at the age of 82.
US President Donald Trump has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff across the United States in Parton’s honour until 1 September.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump described her death as “a true loss for millions of people”, adding: “There has never been anyone like her, and never will.”
Flowers and notes are placed near Dolly Parton’s Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
Parton, one of the most successful and influential figures in country music, was best known for hits including 9 To 5, I Will Always Love You, Jolene and Coat Of Many Colours.
In May, the singer pulled out of a highly anticipated Las Vegas residency which was due to begin in September.
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She had previously postponed the six-date run at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace from December 2025 as she dealt with health problems.
At Parton’s request, a small private funeral service will be held for immediate family, according to a statement from her family.
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for donations to be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
Dolly Parton was prolific in a career spanning six decades
Born in a one-room cabin in Locust Ridge, Tennessee, in 1946, Parton was the fourth of 12 children.
She began singing at the age of six in the local church, where her grandfather was a pastor, and appeared at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry at the age of 13.
Her partnership with country singer Porter Wagoner helped launch her career, with Parton later writing I Will Always Love You as a farewell to her former creative partner when she decided to pursue a solo career.
The Empire State Building lit up to honour Dolly Parton
The song became a worldwide hit again when Whitney Houston recorded it for the 1992 film The Bodyguard.
Over a career spanning more than six decades, Parton sold more than 100 million records worldwide and wrote thousands of songs.
Flowers are laid beside a Dolly Parton statue
She also built a successful business empire, including the Dollywood theme park in her native Tennessee, while becoming renowned for her philanthropy.
Her Imagination Library, founded to encourage a love of reading among children, has distributed hundreds of millions of free books around the world, including in Ireland.
In 2020, Parton donated $1 million to coronavirus research at Vanderbilt University, helping to fund research that contributed to the development of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine.
Source: PA, Reuters