Dolly Parton, Music Icon And Oscar-Nominated 9 To 5 Star, Dead At 80

The world just got a little less wonderful today as Dolly Parton, the legendary singer-songwriter, country music icon, actor, producer, and philanthropist, has passed away. The Iron Butterfly was 80 years old. The news was confirmed in a video by her nephew Bryan Seaver on Parton's official Instagram account. "It is an honor, an honor that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness. But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly," Seaver noted. "Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Car [Dean, her late husband]l, her parents, and countless others who have watched her and longed to meet her in the heavens."

Parton's career is inimitable: A beloved figure in pop culture with a 60-year span and 50 studio albums. One of the most-honored female country performers in history, Parton won 11 Grammy Awards and three Emmy Awards, and received two Academy Award nominations (plus an honorary Oscar — the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award) and nominations for six Golden Globes and a Tony Award. In 2022, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

While known the world over for her music, Parton was a well-respected actor, starring in classic films like "9 to 5" (which inspired genuine change in the workplace for women), "Steel Magnolias," and the Burt Reynolds comedy-musical "The Best Little Wh*rehouse in Texas." Parton was as humble as she was fabulous, serving as an uncredited producer on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and founding Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, a book-gifting program that mails free books to children from birth until they begin school in participating areas.

Trying to encapsulate the breadth of Parton's impact and influence is an impossible task, and so she goes, and yet we know, we'll think of her each step of the way.

Per her family's official obituary, "A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family. Dolly Parton's legacy is one of love, compassion, and resilience."

Parton was born and raised in Tennessee as one of 12 children. She would go on to become, as most already know, the best-selling female country music artist of all time. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999. At the time of her passing, a musical titled "Dolly: A True Original Musical" based on her life is looking to premiere on Broadway in 2026.

Her debut album was 1967's "Hello, I'm Dolly," and she went on to release a number of hits that have permeated American culture, including "Coat of Many Colors," "Jolene," "Here You Come Again," the title track of "9 to 5," and her masterpiece — "I Will Always Love You." The latter was famously covered by Whitney Houston for "The Bodyguard" and has become one of the most instantly recognizable ballads ever written.

She additionally wrote the score for the Broadway adaptation of "9 to 5," received the National Medal of Arts in 2005, and, in 2006, received the Kennedy Center Honors. She owned the Dollywood amusement park located in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, has inspired countless women in music (including her goddaughter, Miley Cyrus), and spent nearly her entire life married to her beloved Carl Thomas Dean, the inspiration for her song "If You Hadn't Been There."

Dolly Parton's foray into acting led to a lifelong friendship with her "9 to 5" co-stars, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, and an eventual appearance on their hit Netflix sitcom, "Grace and Frankie." She was also on a number of variety shows and could match glamor and wits with the best and brightest, including her longtime buddy Miss Piggy. What's more, Parton often played herself on screen, yet her global appeal was as much for who she was as a person as for the art she left us to enjoy forever.

Parton and her charitable Dollywood Foundation were active in charitable work encouraging literacy and combating the spread of HIV and AIDS. Indeed, she was outspoken about childhood literacy, a mega-donor to disaster relief through the My People Fund, and, over the years, made substantial medical and educational donations. She even founded the Buddy Program in the 1990s to cut high school dropout rates in Sevier County, Tennessee, and later provided full tuition coverage for Dollywood employees. She was honored with the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy in 2002.

As her obituary put it, "With a seven-decade career, she inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place. Her songs will continue to resonate with people of all ages, and her philanthropic work will have a lasting impact." Her family has requested donations be made to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library at imaginationlibrary.com. She had a great sense of humor ("It costs a lot of money to look this cheap" is legendary), loved her fans, and used her fame to make the world a better place.

Rest in peace, Dolly. We will always love you.