Dolly Parton, the legendary country music singer, songwriter, actress and activist, has died at the age of 80 on Wednesday.
Tributes have poured in from around the world for the 11-time Grammy Award winner, who created enduring classics including I Will Always Love You. At press time, her family had not revealed the cause of her death.
In a statement released following her passing, representatives said Parton led a luminous life that shone bright enough for the entire world to see. The statement added that she would forever remain an inspiration through her timeless music, prolific songwriting career, wit, warmth and kindness that made fans feel like family.
Hollywood Tributes and Activism
Actress Jane Fonda, who starred alongside Parton in the 1980 comedy film 9 to 5 and reunited with her for the series finale of Grace and Frankie, paid extensive tribute to her close friend and her work as an activist.
Fonda recalled Parton as a singer, writer, wit, visionary and loyal friend who possessed a remarkable survival instinct and always seemed to know what to do. She described her as both a playful Southern girl from the valleys of Tennessee and a deep, sensitive thinker who could see through people.
Fonda urged fans to take comfort in Parton's memories, her songs and the millions of books she put into the hands of children. She also called on viewers to watch the final episode of Grace and Frankie, in which Parton made a guest appearance as the chief angel of the working class in heaven.
Other prominent Hollywood figures including Jamie Lee Curtis, Colman Domingo and Julia Roberts also shared tributes on social media. Meanwhile, hundreds of fans gathered with flowers and photographs to decorate Parton's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Early Life and Rise to Fame
Born in the United States in 1946, Parton grew up in a farming family living in a humble cabin in Tennessee alongside 12 siblings. Her impoverished childhood inspired her famous song Coat of Many Colors.
In the song, Parton recalled the coat her mother sewed for her out of scraps of fabric, singing that although she later realized her family had no money, she felt as rich as anyone could be.
Parton built a prolific career spanning decades, becoming one of country music's most celebrated figures and an enduring 21st-century icon. Beyond her 11 Grammy Awards, she won a Golden Globe and received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, an honorary Oscar, in 2025.
Her signature song I Will Always Love You achieved global success twice, first as a country hit for Parton and later when pop singer Whitney Houston recorded her iconic cover for The Bodyguard soundtrack in 1992. In May 2025, Parton attended the opening of a dedicated exhibition at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, titled Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker.
Philanthropy and Educational Legacy
When accepting her honorary Oscar, Parton spoke about growing up in a home with 12 siblings, noting that living in a large family taught her the essential value of sharing. She explained that while her family had very little to share, her parents taught her that the more a person gives, the more blessings they receive.
Parton said she had tried throughout her life to follow her parents' example. Her commitment to giving led her to establish Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, a literacy initiative that gathers and distributes millions of books to children worldwide.
Parton also inspired generations of younger musicians. She maintained a close bond with her goddaughter Miley Cyrus, whom she first worked with on the hit Disney series Hannah Montana. The pair later recorded the duet Rainbowland, which was released on Cyrus's 2017 album Younger Now.
