Country music icon Dolly Parton died at the age of 80 on Aug. 25, 2026, at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, according to a statement from her family and representatives published by The Tennessean. Parton passed away surrounded by loved ones following a previously undisclosed, brief battle with cancer, according to her representatives.
Health Struggles and Final Days Before Passing
In the months leading up to her death, Parton scaled back travel and professional commitments while undergoing medical treatment. Just four days before her passing, Parton spoke to People about health issues she had ignored while caring for her husband, Carl Dean, who died in March 2025 at age 82. Parton explained that she became so focused on her husband’s care that she stopped paying attention to her own health needs.
“I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to,” Parton told People in her final interview. She added in an October video addressing public concern that after Dean became ill, she “didn’t take care of myself” and allowed medical problems to go unattended.
Parton was hospitalized at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville with kidney and autoimmune issues five days before she died. Her health setbacks first publicly impacted her schedule in September 2025, when a kidney stone and subsequent infection forced her to miss an appearance at her Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, where she had been scheduled to announce the NightFlight Expedition attraction.
Sister Stella Parton Shares Details on Experimental Treatment Offer
Following her death, Parton’s sister, Stella Parton, shared a tribute on Facebook revealing that the singer made a selfless offer to her medical team during her illness. Stella wrote that Dolly told her recently that if there was no hope for her recovery, she wanted her medical team to try experimental drugs in the hope of helping others in the future.
“My sister was one of the most generous, thoughtful and kind people I’ve ever known,” Stella Parton wrote on Facebook. “What the world saw is exactly who she was.”
Tributes and Legacy
Music industry peers and fans shared tributes following the announcement of Parton’s death. During a performance at Madison Square Garden, musician Harry Styles honored Parton by speaking to the crowd and performing her signature song, “I Will Always Love You,” as reported by Page Six.
According to TMZ, Parton will be laid to rest in a small, private service for immediate family in Nashville, Tennessee. Representatives for the family emphasized Parton’s lasting impact, stating that her “unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact” throughout her legendary career.