Country music icon Dolly Parton appeared in good spirits during her final public appearance days before her death on Tuesday. Parton, 80, virtually accepted the ACM Poet’s Award at the ACM Honors on Aug. 19, expressing her deep connection to songwriting.
"I just want to send a very special thank you to the Academy of Country Music for honoring me with the Poet’s Award," Parton said in the video message shared to Instagram. "You know, I’ve been able to do many things throughout my life, but at my core, songwriting has always been the most important part of who I am creatively."
She continued, "Every dream I ever had and all the dreams that I’ve been able to see come true in life, well, they all started with a song. Songwriting has been my therapy. Songwriting has been my release, my joy. Songwriting has been a gift from God that has allowed me to touch people with words and music."
In the video, the 10-time Grammy winner was seated, wearing a cream top with her signature blond hair styled in an updo. She was announced to have passed away on Tuesday by her nephew and longtime head of security, Bryan Seaver.
"I am representing the Parton and Owens family today, announcing the passing of my Aunt Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean," Seaver said in an Instagram post. "Sister, aunt, Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next. This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago before I fully absorbed it as a future reality."
Seaver, who has served as Parton’s head of security for over two decades, shared that while he had imagined the moment, he had not truly felt its weight until now, describing it as an honor mixed with pride and profound sadness. "But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly," he added.
Parton’s publicity team also confirmed her passing in a statement, describing her legacy as one of "love, compassion, and resilience" and highlighting her "timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness." Her representatives noted her seven-decade career inspired multiple generations.
While a cause of death has not been publicly disclosed, reports indicate Parton was admitted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville on the Friday prior to her death with kidney and autoimmune issues. She died at the hospital.
Just days before her passing, Parton had canceled an in-person appearance at her Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, on the advice of a doctor who ordered her not to travel due to ongoing health issues. She had previously mentioned experiencing dizziness and dehydration in a video shared by the Knoxville News Sentinel and the Tennessean.