Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton, 80, died on August 25, 2026. The singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman and philanthropist built a six-decade career that made her one of the most honored and widely loved figures in American popular culture. Born Dolly Rebecca Parton on January 19, 1946, she rose from the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee to become known around the world as the Queen of Country. Her catalog included enduring songs such as Jolene, Coat of Many Colors and her signature 1974 ballad later made famous by Whitney Houston. She released 50 studio albums, sold more than 100 million records and earned 11 Grammy Awards, three Emmy Awards and numerous other honors. Her film work included 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Steel Magnolias. Parton treated her success as a way to give back. In 1995, through the Dollywood Foundation, she founded the Imagination Library in her home county of Sevier County, Tennessee. Inspired by her father’s struggles with reading, the program mails free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five regardless of family income. What began locally grew into an international literacy effort that has delivered millions of books to children. Her generosity also reached families facing disaster. After deadly wildfires struck the Smoky Mountains in 2016, Parton organized an all-star benefit and created a fund that provided monthly financial assistance to residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed. Her philanthropy reflected the same connection to East Tennessee that shaped her music and public life. Parton’s legacy reaches beyond recordings, awards and performances. Through children’s literacy, disaster relief and sustained investment in her home region, she turned fame into practical help for families and communities while remaining a defining voice in country music.