Country music icon Dolly Parton died at the age of 80 in Nashville, Tenn., on Tuesday after a “brief battle with cancer,” her representatives announced.
In a statement to People, Parton’s team wrote: “Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched. Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand.”
“Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact.
“After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones.”
The type of cancer Parton was diagnosed with was not disclosed.
Parton was hospitalized Friday with kidney and autoimmune issues, a rep previously shared.
Parton’s death was announced in a video by her nephew, Bryan Seaver.
“I am representing the Parton and Owens family today, announcing the passing of my Aunt Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean. Sister, sis, 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 began.
“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. It is an honour, an honour that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness. But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly.”
Seaver said that Parton lived “in the light” and is now “in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents and countless others who have watched her and longed for her to meet them in the heavens.”
“Our family and the team she has entrusted with her legacy will work diligently to ensure her spirit will live with us forever,” Seaver said.
“Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because after a life wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest,” he said, adding, “Rest in peace, Aunt Dolly.”
On Friday, several days before her death, Parton spoke about her recent health decline with People.
“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.”
The unexpected news of Parton’s death was met with shock around the world.
Fans of the country music superstar visited Parton’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star in Los Angeles on Tuesday and left flowers and heartfelt notes.
Fans also placed flowers near a mural of Parton in Nashville on Tuesday.
A makeshift memorial honouring Parton was also seen outside her home in Brentwood, Tenn.
A bronze statue of Parton was surrounded by flowers and balloons outside the Sevier County Courthouse in the late singer’s hometown of Sevierville, Tenn.
The Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge was lit in pink lights to honour Parton on Tuesday night in Nashville.
The Empire State Building was also sparkling in pink in honour of Parton’s life and legacy on Tuesday night in New York.
In the U.K., spectators watched members of the band of the Coldstream Guards and Welsh Guards play a tribute to Parton during the Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace in London on Wednesday.
Many celebrities took to social media to share their condolences once news of Parton’s death spread.
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Billy Ray Cyrus took to Instagram, writing, “I have so many moments and memories with Dolly, it’s hard to know where to start. Like every little boy, I grew up loving Dolly Parton. She was a part of our lives, on our TV’s, right in our living rooms.”
“In 1992, I’ll never forget walking into her dressing room to apologize for all the tabloid stories which claimed I was having an affair with her. In true Dolly fashion, she just looked at me, winked and said, ‘Honey, this trash sells records!’
“Dolly recently sent me a beautiful message, telling me she loved me with her whole heart. I will always love her in the same way ….. with my whole heart … and I always will.”
Céline Dion said Parton was “pure light, with a kind heart and a generous spirit.”
“We will now be missing one of the most joyful voices this world has ever known. Thank you for the music, the laughter, and the love you gave us all. We will always love you,” Dion added.
Music superstar Taylor Swift said that “a world without Dolly doesn’t feel possible, real or right” in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter.
“But because of the eternally generous way she spent her time on this earth and the countless lives she changed for the better, her legacy will be an everlasting one,” Swift added.
“She was truly the gift that kept on giving. Dolly gave us someone to look up to while encouraging us to be who we are as individuals. Somehow she was able to give us her lessons about the world gently and honestly, simultaneously, and oftentimes hilariously.
“She managed to give the world the ultimate mystery and fantasy in some corners of her life, but to give full transparency in the ways that counted. Somehow she was true grace and true grit, all in one dazzling person. She possessed the softest heart when it came to the struggles of others, and a backbone of steel to defend her own self worth as an artist.
“Along with her other fans, I am so grateful for all of it. For the melodies and lyrics she wrote that thawed even the coldest hearts. For the millions of books she provided children all over the world so that they might fall in love with stories the way she did. For the tightropes she walked so that young girls like me could grow up dreaming of joining the circus too. Dolly, I’ll think of you each step of the way.”
Oprah Winfrey shared one of her “fondest memories” with Parton on Instagram.
“Having a hoot and a holler while wearing Bob Mackie gowns on her show Dolly. This girl from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee dreamed a life and then lived a life bigger than she could have ever imagined, giving so generously to others in ways we saw and ways we didn’t. No one like her. She brought the light, and we are all better because she was here,” Winfrey wrote.
Beyoncé, who reworked Parton’s classic song Jolene for her Cowboy Carter album, posted a tribute on her website, writing, “You taught so many lessons on how to be uniquely oneself. I am grateful for your art, your heart, your generosity, your humor, your entrepreneurship.”
Eminem took to social media to share a note he received from Parton congratulating him on entering the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
“I’m sorry we never got a chance to meet, but getting this note from Dolly really had a an impact on me. She definitely didn’t have to take the time to do it. Even for a kid who mostly listened to rap music, she was an icon. A superstar in every sense. Rest easy Dolly. And thank you for the kind words,” he wrote.
Jane Fonda said she was “devastated” after learning that Parton “has moved on.”
“I know that millions are mourning and I want to say this – more than anyone I have ever known, Dolly will always be with us because she was so present, so powerful, so generous and playful that she is woven into all our lives and hearts forever,” Fonda added.
Pop star Sabrina Carpenter said the only thing she could say after she first met Parton was “she really is an angel walking the earth” and “we look like we could be sisters!”
“I will cherish our laughter and conversations and I will keep your wisdom, your playful outlook on life, and perfect sense of humor in my pocket for the rainy days. There will never be another you and how lucky are we all to have experienced your singular magic as well as your once in a lifetime voice, songs, and heart,” Carpenter wrote. “Your light will be something the world will search forever to find again.”
Paul McCartney shared a tribute to Parton on Instagram, writing, “The magnificent star Dolly Parton has died and it is so sad. She was such a wonderful woman. I first met her in Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry where she had been playing with the country star Porter Wagoner and was about to start her solo career.”
“She was so bubbly and full of life it is difficult to take in the news that she has passed. Her songwriting, her singing and her philanthropy were unrivaled in the world of country music and it is hard to imagine living in a world without Dolly,” he added.