Dolly Parton, the country singer, songwriter, actor and philanthropist whose Imagination Library has distributed more than 304.5 million free books, died Tuesday at 80, her family announced.
Parton died peacefully in Nashville, her publicist said.
The family announced her death in a video posted to Parton’s account on X by Bryan Seaver, her nephew and longtime head of security.
Seaver, the son of Cassie Parton, spoke on behalf of the Parton and Owens family and identified his aunt by her full name, Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean. He said he had led Parton’s security for more than two decades. His father, Larry, held the role before him.
Parton had asked Seaver years earlier to make the announcement when the time came. He described the responsibility as an honor marked by pride and sadness.
Seaver said the family’s grief was for those left behind rather than for Parton. He expressed the family’s belief that she was with Jesus and reunited with her husband, Carl Dean, her parents and others who died before her.
He credited his aunt with opening doors for her family and generations of singers, songwriters, musicians and dreamers.
“She never saw a door she couldn’t open, and the doors she opened made and changed history,” Seaver said.
He also recalled Parton saying she wanted to rest in plush cotton after spending much of her performing life in heavy rhinestones.
“She will always love you,” Seaver said at the conclusion of the family’s message.
President Donald Trump wrote separately on Truth Social that Parton’s death was “a true loss for millions of people.”
Trump called her one of the greatest country singers and announced that the American flag would be lowered throughout the United States for one week, beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday. His post did not identify a time zone.
From Tennessee to International Fame
Parton was born Jan. 19, 1946, near Locust Ridge, Tennessee, and grew up as one of 12 children. She began writing songs as a child and was performing on local radio by 11.
At 13, she performed at the Grand Ole Opry. After graduating from high school, she moved to Nashville and gained national attention through her musical partnership with country singer Porter Wagoner.
Her songs included “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors,” “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You.” Parton wrote “I Will Always Love You” as a farewell to Wagoner when she decided to leave their partnership and pursue a solo career.
Whitney Houston later recorded one of the song’s most widely known versions.
Parton sold more than 100 million records and wrote an estimated 3,000 songs during her career, Reuters reported. Twenty-five of her songs reached No. 1 on Billboard’s country charts.
Her popularity extended beyond country music. Parton recorded pop, gospel and bluegrass while maintaining a public identity closely connected to her Appalachian upbringing.
The Recording Academy lists 10 competitive Grammy wins and 55 nominations for Parton. She received the academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.
“Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Parton entered the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. The Library of Congress presented her with its Living Legend medal in 2004 for her contributions to American culture and music.
Music, Movies and Business
Parton also worked in film, television and theater. Her movie credits included “9 to 5,” “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” and “Steel Magnolias.”
Her song “9 to 5” earned an Academy Award nomination. “Travelin’ Thru,” written for the film “Transamerica,” earned her a second nomination for original song.
Parton also created Dollywood, the Tennessee theme park that bears her name, establishing her as a prominent business figure as well as an entertainer.
A Worldwide Literacy Program
Parton founded the Imagination Library in 1995 after being inspired by her father’s inability to read and write.
The program mails registered children one free, age-appropriate book each month from birth until age 5. It operates through local partnerships in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and the Republic of Ireland.
By the end of 2025, the Imagination Library had distributed more than 304.5 million books since its creation. It sent more than 40.3 million books during 2025 alone, according to the program’s annual review.
The initiative began as a literacy program for children in Parton’s home county in Tennessee. It later expanded internationally, serving children regardless of family income in participating communities.
Medical Research and Disaster Relief
Parton donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2020 to support COVID-19 research.
The medical center said her donation supported critical early research connected to the Moderna vaccine, including work used to assess whether it produced a potentially protective immune response.
Parton also supported pediatric cancer and infectious-disease research at Vanderbilt.
Following the 2016 wildfires in Sevier County, Tennessee, the Dollywood Foundation established the My People Fund to assist families whose homes were destroyed or left uninhabitable.
The program provided six months of financial assistance to more than 900 families. The foundation said $8.9 million went directly to wildfire victims, with additional money committed to long-term recovery efforts.
Parton’s family said those entrusted with her legacy would work to preserve the music, opportunities and charitable programs she left behind.
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