Newz(AP) — Dolly Parton, the iconic songwriter, singer and actor, has died. A statement from her publicist says she died peacefully Tuesday at the age of 80 in Nashville, Tennessee. Parton wrote and sang hundreds of songs, including classics like “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You,” that totaled more than 100 million worldwide sales and more than 1 billion online streams.
Tributes are pouring in for Parton, who was among the most beloved personalities in music — the rare celebrity whose appeal transcended generations, geography and politics.Here's the Latest:Stars from TV and film pay tribute to DollyActor Jamie Lee Curtis called her “a great example for us all.”Actor and producer Seth MacFarlane worked with her on “The Orville” and said her “kindness, generosity, and authenticity were evident from moment one.”Actor Patricia Heaton simply said: “What a gift. What a loss.”A playlist of Dolly Parton’s greatest songs, and the stories behind themParton was more than a musician, actor, author, philanthropist, or theme-park entrepreneur.She occupied a space in our global cultural imagination — a figure of American mythology, someone best described as larger than life — and then a little bit more. But from the very beginning, at the heart of everything she accomplished, she was a songwriter.Selecting 11 songs across her many decades of recorded music is a fool’s errand, but there are some classics that stand above others, from 1968’s “Just Because I’m a Woman” through 2014’s “Blue Smoke." Listen to all of the tracks on our Spotify playlist.▶See the full list and the stories behind Parton’s songs.Read AP’s obituary for Carl Dean, Parton’s husband of nearly 60 yearsCarl Dean, Parton’s devoted husband of nearly 60 years who avoided the spotlight and inspired her timeless hit “Jolene,” died in March 2025.
He was 82.“Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy,” Parton wrote after his death.Parton met Dean outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat the day she moved to Nashville at 18.“I was surprised and delighted that while he talked to me, he looked at my face (a rare thing for me),” Parton said.
Here’s the Latest: Stars from TV and film pay tribute to Dolly Actor Jamie Lee Curtis called her “a great example for us all.” Actor and producer Seth MacFarlane worked with her on “The Orville” and said her “kindness, generosity, and authenticity were evident from moment one.” Actor Patricia Heaton simply said: “What a gift. She occupied a space in our global cultural imagination — a figure of American mythology, someone best described as larger than life — and then a little bit more. Selecting 11 songs across her many decades of recorded music is a fool’s errand, but there are some classics that stand above others, from 1968’s “Just Because I’m a Woman” through 2014’s “Blue Smoke.” Listen to all of the tracks on our Spotify playlist.
See the full list and the stories behind Parton’s songs. Read AP’s obituary for Carl Dean, Parton’s husband of nearly 60 years Carl Dean, Parton’s devoted husband of nearly 60 years who avoided the spotlight and inspired her timeless hit “Jolene,” died in March 2025. “Carl and I spent many wonderful years together.
Thank you for your prayers and sympathy,” Parton wrote after his death. Parton met Dean outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat the day she moved to Nashville at 18. “I was surprised and delighted that while he talked to me, he looked at my face (a rare thing for me),” Parton said.
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