Grammy winner and queen of country music Dolly Parton dies at 80
With classic songs including "Coat of Many Colors," "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You," she became one of the best-selling female artists of all time, with over 100 million records sold.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Dolly Parton, the country music icon whose deep, resonant voice, poignant songwriting, and flamboyant costumes defined her journey from a log cabin in the Tennessee mountains to the pinnacle of stardom and acclaim, has passed away. She was 80 years old.
Renowned for her voluptuous figure, voluminous blonde wigs, and skin-tight ensembles that showcased her self-deprecating humor, Parton was one of the most beloved figures in music and beyond — a rare celebrity whose appeal defied generations, geography, and politics. She penned hundreds of songs, including enduring classics like "Jolene," "Coat of Many Colors," and "I Will Always Love You," which collectively amassed over 100 million worldwide sales and over 1 billion online streams.
Parton was not only a prolific songwriter but also a generous philanthropist and savvy businesswoman. Her ventures included a theme park in the Smoky Mountain foothills near her birthplace. Her career was profoundly shaped by her humble beginnings as one of 12 children born into a "dirt poor" Tennessee family. To address her father's struggles with illiteracy, she founded the Imagination Library, a nonprofit that provided free books to children in Tennessee.
Her initial musical exposure came through church performances, where her grandfather served as a preacher. By the age of 10, she was learning guitar and singing on local television shows. At 13, she graced the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, where Johnny Cash welcomed her as "a little girl here from up in East Tennessee."
With a suitcase brimming with songs, she relocated to Nashville after completing high school in 1964. It was there that Fred Foster, who had produced Roy Orbison and Willie Nelson, recognized her talent and facilitated the recording of her original material for RCA. A pivotal partnership with Porter Wagoner, a charismatic star adorned with pompadour and rhinestones, proved instrumental in her rise to fame.
Wagoner championed her on his syndicated TV show, and their first duet, "The Last Thing On My Mind," was released in 1967, the same year she established her own publishing company.
Written by urgent.news from Associated Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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