Dolly Parton dies at 80, two months after opening Tennessee truck stop

Country music icon Dolly Parton passed away at the age of 80 on Tuesday in Nashville, Tennessee. Her publicist confirmed she died peacefully, though the cause of death was not disclosed to the Associated Press. Parton's death occurred almost exactly two months after she made a surprise appearance at the grand opening of her Tennessee travel stop on June 24.

The event marked her likely last public appearance. The Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop, located at Exit 22 off Interstate 65 about an hour south of Nashville, was designed to cater to truck drivers, families, and tourists. Parton, a renowned performer with a career spanning decades, had previously expressed her desire to fill a void for travelers on highways with a place offering good food, rest, and music.