Dolly Parton, the iconic country music star, has died at the age of 80. Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, confirmed her passing in an Instagram video. Parton's final public appearance was a video message shared on August 14, addressing fans at the grand opening of the NightFlight Expedition ride at her Dollywood theme park. Though unable to attend in person due to doctor's orders, Parton appeared energized and in good spirits.
In the recorded message, Parton, clad in a pink outfit with butterfly wings, explained her absence. "I’m still in Nashville, and I’m sorry about that," she told her fans. "I’m supposed to be there in person like we planned." She cited "a few little health issues," including experiencing dizziness and dehydration, as the reason she was advised against travel. "So my Nashville doctor has kind of clipped my wings, saying, 'You ain’t traveling this week.'" Despite these issues, she insisted that "all was going well on the medical end of things" and that she was continuing to work on other projects, including the SongTeller Hotel, her Life of Many Colors Museum, and a Broadway show about her life.
Days later, in an interview with People, Parton elaborated on her health, stating she was dealing with issues she hadn't paid attention to while caring for her late husband, Carl Thomas Dean, who died in March 2025. She acknowledged that while she had faced health challenges before, the current media landscape magnifies them. "Even though I’m still healin’, I’m still working," she said, expressing her desire to see her many projects come to fruition.
Parton's last in-person public sighting was on June 24, when she attended the grand opening of her truck stop, Dolly's Tennesseean Travel Stop. Her career, spanning six decades, earned her the title "Queen of Country" with hits like "Jolene" and "9 to 5."
Seaver's Instagram announcement stated that the video message was something Parton had requested years prior. He described his aunt as someone who "lived in the light" and was now "in the arms of Jesus," reunited with her late husband and family. He remembered her as a farmer of songs and happiness, a sentiment echoed by her wish to rest in a comfortable bed after a life of performing in heavy rhinestones.