Dolly Parton’s Family Announces Her Passing at 80 in Emotional Video
Country music icon Dolly Parton has passed away at age 80, according to an announcement shared by her family on Instagram.
The announcement came Tuesday in a video from her nephew, Brian Seaver, who spoke on behalf of the Parton and Owens families. Seaver served as Parton’s head of security for more than two decades. His father, Larry, held the same role before him.
“My name is Brian Seaver, son of Cassie Parton, and I’m representing the Parton and Owens family today announcing the passing of my aunt, Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean, Sister, Sis and Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next,” Seaver began. “This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality. As her head of security for more than two decades, a role my father Larry held before me, I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven’t truly felt it until now.”
Seaver said the moment carried both pride and deep sadness. He also described Parton’s death through the lens of her Christian faith and her connection to loved ones who died before her.
“It is an honor, an honor that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness. But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly. Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents and countless others who have watched her and longed to meet her in the heavens.”
WATCH:
View this post on Instagram
Parton had spoken publicly about her health just days earlier. On Friday, she told PEOPLE Magazine that she had been dealing with health issues after focusing on her husband, Carl Dean, before his passing last year.
“As I’ve shared in video messages throughout the past year, I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl. You know, this isn’t the first time I’ve had to manage something like this. Back in the early ‘80s, I was down for several months with female issues, and I was struggling with my weight at the time too, so it’s not like I haven’t been through hard times with my health,” Parton told PEOPLE Magazine.
She also said she planned to keep working while she could.
“But I think because we live in a 24/7 world with social media, everything gets magnified in ways it wasn’t years ago. I used to joke that I was the Queen of the Tabloids, but now I guess I can say I’m the Queen of Social Media AI! Seriously, though, even though I’m still healin’, I’m still workin’! You know me — as I’ve often said — I’ve dreamed myself into a corner and I still have so many things I want to achieve, so I’m gonna keep on working as long as I can to see everything come to life.”
Parton was born January 19, 1946, in a one-room cabin in Pittman Center, Tennessee, in the Great Smoky Mountains. She was the fourth of 12 children in a poor farming family.
She began performing as a child on local radio and television. After graduating from high school, she moved to Nashville the next day to pursue music.
During the 1970s, Parton became one of country music’s biggest stars. Her signature songs included “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors,” and “I Will Always Love You.” She later built a successful acting career with roles in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Steel Magnolias.
Across her career, Parton released dozens of albums, sold more than 100 million records, and earned multiple Grammy Awards. She was inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Her influence also reached far beyond music. Through the Imagination Library, Parton helped distribute millions of free books to children. She also created a business empire that includes the Dollywood theme park.