Dolly Parton Tributes pour in after country music legend Dolly Parton dies aged 80: ‘Thank you, Lord, for Dolly’ – latest updates Reba McEntire, Lily Tomlin, Dionne Warwick, Kacey Musgraves, Donald Trump and others mourn star’s death Dolly Parton dies aged 80 | Celebrity tributes | A life in pictures Parton’s peerless career turned country music cliches inside out Share your tributes and memories of Dolly Parton LIVE Updated 50s ago Kate Lamb (now); Lucy Campbell and Fran Lawther (earlier) Wed 26 Aug 2026 00.58 BSTFirst published on Tue 25 Aug 2026 19.04 BST Share Key events 2h ago Remembering Dolly Parton, one of the most beloved personalities in music and beyond 3h ago Dolly Parton musical still on track to open on Broadway early next year 3h ago Parton to have small, private funeral service for immediate family 4h ago Parton's funeral to be private family affair, report says 4h ago Dolly Parton's best one-liners – the star in her own words 4h ago Video: Dolly Parton's family announce death and pay tribute 4h ago Dionne Warwick pays tribute: 'My heart is heavy' 5h ago 'You gave so much with your huge heart': Reba McEntire pays tribute to 'my buddy Dolly' 5h ago 'A true loss for millions of people': Trump says US flags will be lowered tonight for a week for Parton 5h ago Parton's much-cherished philanthropic work - at a glance 5h ago Parton's death follows recent health issues and death of husband Carl Dean 6h ago Appreciation: Parton's peerless career turned country music cliches inside out 6h ago Dolly Parton has died aged 80, her family announces Dolly Parton Photograph: Pete Still/Redferns Dolly Parton Photograph: Pete Still/Redferns From 2h ago Country music icon and celebrated philanthropist Dolly Parton has died in Nashville at the age of 80, her family announced.
“She never saw a door she couldn’t open, and the doors she opened made and changed history,” her nephew Bryan Seaver said in a video statement, adding: “Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus.” Her funeral will be small and private, per her wishes, her family said.
In an interview last week, Parton had shared that she had been “dealing with some health issues” that had gone unaddressed while she cared for her husband of almost 60 years, Carl Dean, who died in March last year.
“I still have so many things I want to achieve, so I’m gonna keep on working as long as I can to see everything come to life,” she told People on Friday.
Parton rose from grinding poverty in Tennessee to become a rhinestone-studded cultural icon, writing 3,000 songs including hits like Jolene and 9 to 5, acting in major Hollywood films and donating millions of dollars to charities in her home state and beyond.
She was an accomplished businesswoman, with interests spanning from her Dollywood theme park to cosmetics, pet apparel, baking mixes and even a truck stop.
Among her celebrated philanthropic work, the Dollywood Foundation distributes about 25m books each year across the US, Canada, Australia, the UK and Ireland, while her $1m donated for research into Covid-19 formed the basis for the eventual Moderna vaccine.
One of the country’s most unifying personalities, Parton was paid tributes from figures across music, film, politics and beyond.
In a lengthy and emotional Instagram post, her 9 to 5 co-star Jane Fonda wrote: “I know that millions are mourning and I want to say this – more than anyone I have ever known, Dolly will always be with us because she was so present, so powerful, so generous and playful that she is woven into all our lives and hearts forever.” She was “the voluptuous embodiment of empathy”, she added.
Fellow country star Reba McEntire shared a picture of her and Parton on Instagram, adding: “Dolly, thank you for all the wonderful things you did for us here on earth.
Your love, your music and you gave so much with your huge huge heart.” Key events 2h ago Remembering Dolly Parton, one of the most beloved personalities in music and beyond 3h ago Dolly Parton musical still on track to open on Broadway early next year 3h ago Parton to have small, private funeral service for immediate family 4h ago Parton's funeral to be private family affair, report says 4h ago Dolly Parton's best one-liners – the star in her own words 4h ago Video: Dolly Parton's family announce death and pay tribute 4h ago Dionne Warwick pays tribute: 'My heart is heavy' 5h ago 'You gave so much with your huge heart': Reba McEntire pays tribute to 'my buddy Dolly' 5h ago 'A true loss for millions of people': Trump says US flags will be lowered tonight for a week for Parton 5h ago Parton's much-cherished philanthropic work - at a glance 5h ago Parton's death follows recent health issues and death of husband Carl Dean 6h ago Appreciation: Parton's peerless career turned country music cliches inside out 6h ago Dolly Parton has died aged 80, her family announces Ben Stiller shares his memory of Dolly Parton: Writing on X, he said: Dolly Parton memory: her being incredibly nice and cool to EVERYONE when i was on SNL in 1988 as a featured player/apprentice writer and wrote a sketch for her and me that bombed at readthrough and she totally sold it as it bombed and was so kind about it and I never met her again but always wanted to thank her for being so cool and making me and everyone feel special.
What an icon, and for so long.
A person who emanated goodness, and of course, a brilliant songwriter and performer.
Sending love to her family and friends.” About 15,000km (9,300 miles) away from Dolly Parton’s beloved Smoky Mountains home in Tennessee, a small town in rural Australia will always love her.
Narromine, a farming community of 4,000 people in central NSW, is home to the Dolly Parton festival, which fills the wide country streets with her music every year.
Organiser Susie Rae said the town would hold a minute of silence to honour the queen of country music at the festival on 10 October, after Parton’s death.
Australia’s first Dolly Parton festival in Narromine, central west NSW, Australia, on 1 October 2022.
Photograph: Julia Gardiner/PR IMAGE Ms Rae, who founded the event in 2022, said Parton’s music, love and generosity breathed life into the community after it endured a prolonged drought and the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It was just off the cusp of Covid and I remember standing there with [a local politician] and he said, ‘Susie, I haven’t felt the power of love like this for a very long time.’ “I said, ‘Well, that’s Dolly’ … It was incredible.” A tribute from US president Donald Trump: Very sad to report that Dolly Parton, one of the greatest Country singers, and far beyond, EVER, has just passed away.
This is a true loss for millions of people.
There has never been anyone like her, and never will.
In her honor, I am lowering the American flag throughout the United States for a one week period beginning tonight at 6:00PM.
Rest in Peace, Dolly!
The World loves you.” Tributes for Dolly Parton, in pictures Tracy Ross, left, and Patricia Fonner visit a mural of Dolly Parton on Tuesday, in Nashville, Tennessee.
An album and flowers are left outside Dolly Parton’s office in Nashville, Tennessee.
Flowers are laid on Dolly Parton’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California.
A red-tailed hawk sits on the eagle atop the flag pole above the White House as it is lowered to half-mast in honour of Dolly Parton.
A singer and songwriter of rare power and talent, she also shone brightly as an actor, author and philanthropist.
And the big, radiant heart of the Dolly universe was a personality as strong as it was compassionate, a vivacious woman of great humour and a sense of humanity sustained in no small part by the humble strength of her roots.
One of the joys of my time in Government was when I was able to help Dolly overcome a bit of red tape and get her tour bus on to Australian roads in 2011.
It was a magical experience meeting her, but what was even better was seeing her among her legions of local fans.
There are a lot of broken hearts in Australia and across the world today.
Wherever you are, turn your stereo or your phone to Dolly then turn the volume up.
And may the great Dolly Parton rest in peace.
Musician Eminem has shared his tribute, and a beautiful letter Dolly Parton once wrote to him.
On X he said: I’m sorry we never got a chance to meet, but getting this note from Dolly really had a an impact on me.
She definitely didn’t have to take the time to do it.
Even for a kid who mostly listened to rap music, she was an icon.
A superstar in every sense.
Rest easy Dolly.
And thank you for the kind words.
Read the letter she sent him here.
Country singer and actor Billy Ray Cyrus said Parton recently messaged him to say that she “loved me with her whole heart” adding that he will “always” love her in the same way.
Parton was also the godmother to his daughter, singer Miley Cyrus, and appeared alongside the father-daughter duo on their Disney show Hannah Montana.
Dolly Parton, left, and Miley Cyrus perform Jolene at the 61st annual Grammy awards in Los Angeles on 10 February 2019.
She was a part of our lives, on our TVs, right in our living rooms … In 1992, I’ll never forget walking into her dressing room to apologise for all the tabloid stories which claimed I was having an affair with her.
In true Dolly fashion, she just looked at me, winked and said, ‘Honey, this trash sells records!’ Former US president Barack Obama has also paid tribute to Dolly, writing on X: It’s hard to imagine many people having a bigger impact than Dolly Parton.
Born in a one-room cabin, she earned 11 Grammys and an Emmy, built a business empire, helped millions of kids learn to read, and – as if that wasn’t enough – helped accelerate the research that led to the Moderna COVID vaccine.
What a life.
Michelle and I are thinking of Dolly’s family and her many, many fans.
Dolly has been remembered for many things, including her part in helping to fund the Moderna vaccine, which helped end the Covid pandemic.
The country music icon donated $1m (£733,000) in 2020 to coronavirus research at the city’s Vanderbilt University, which helped fund Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine.
In August 2021, she told Absolute Radio Country: When the pandemic came out, I just felt led to do something because I knew something bad was on the rise and I just kind of wanted to help with that, so I donated to help with that.
So, mine was a small part, of course, but I probably get a lot more credit than I deserve, but I was happy to be part of that, and to be able to try to stop something in its tracks that’s really just become such a monster for all of us.
The US senator Jacky Rosen, from Neveda, paid tribute to Parton’s role in “helping end” the pandemic through her donation.
Writing on X, she said: I join every American in mourning the incredibly sad news that Dolly Parton has passed away.
Dolly was a music icon who inspired so many people and always gave back to her community, from supporting children’s literacy through her Imagination Library to helping end the Covid pandemic through her donation for vaccine research.” Country music icon and celebrated philanthropist Dolly Parton has died in Nashville at the age of 80, her family announced.
Your love, your music and you gave so much with your huge huge heart.” Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber said: “Farewell dear Dolly.
“I’ll never forget the incredibly special time we spent in your trailer talking about songwriting.
You were one of the greatest talents I’ve had the privilege of meeting.
“A great melodist and undisputed queen of storytelling songs.” From left: Zubin Mehta, Steven Spielberg, Dolly Parton, Smokey Robinson and Andrew Lloyd Webber receive Kennedy Center honors for contributions to American culture in December 2006.
