Dolly Parton, country music icon, dies after brief battle with cancer – updates

We are still learning more about the circumstances of Dolly Parton’s death.

“After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones,” her team said in a statement to CBS, the BBC’s US partner.

In recent months, Dolly Parton pulled out of several public appearances to deal with “health challenges”.

Grace Eliza Goodwin
US reporter

Beyoncé – perhaps one of the few superstars in the world whose popularity can rival that of Dolly Parton – has called Parton “one of one” in a message posted to her website.

“Dolly, you were the barometer. The north star. Bold and brilliant. Talented and tenacious. 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,” Beyoncé writes.

Beyoncé’s 2024 country album, Cowboy Carter, famously featured a rendition of Parton’s song Jolene. Although Beyoncé significantly rewrote portions of the song, she gave Parton sole songwriting credit on the album, granting Parton royalties for the revised version.

“I’m honored that I had the privilege to work with you. I will treasure that forever. Thank you for your profound impact on the world. You are an angel who has made this world a happier place because of your joyful art. You are truly one of one. Rest peacefully.”

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Pop star Sabrina Carpenter has said she will cherish Parton’s ” playful outlook on life” and “perfect sense of humour”.

“The only thing I could say after we first met was ‘she really is an angel walking the earth’ and ‘we look like we could be sisters!'” Carpenter writes on Instagram alongside pictures of her and Parton together.

The two iconic blonde singers collaborated in 2025 for a country-inspired remix and music video of Carpenter’s song Please Please Please.

“I will cherish our laughter and conversations and I will keep your wisdom, your playful outlook on life, and perfect sense of humour in my pocket for the rainy days,” Carpenter continues.

“Your light will be something the world will search forever to find again.”

Michael Race
Business and economics reporter

Dolly Parton wasn’t just a talented songwriter and singer, she was a smart businesswoman who set out her own path for her career.

In 1974 after writing I Will Always Love You, she famously pulled a deal for Elvis Presley to record a cover of the song after his manager demanded half the songwriting rights.

“I said, ‘I can’t do that’,” she later said of the ordeal in an interview. “Of course I cried all night about that.”

But the difficult decision to scrap the chance for the King of Rock and Roll to sing one of her songs proved a savvy decision when Whitney Houston’s power-ballad cover became a hit in 1992.

Global sales of the song topped 20 million, reportedly earning its creator more than $10m in royalties, according to Forbes.

The magazine estimated her net worth at $450m (£330m) as of June 2025 and and ranked her at no 78 on its 2025 list of America’s richest self-made women.

Image source, Reuters

BBC readers have been writing in to tell us how Dolly Parton’s passion for literacy touched their lives.

“I have recently adopted a baby boy after just over a year. As a looked-after child, he received a book from Dolly Parton every few months, as do every looked-after child in the UK. Something just for them. For fun and for learning. She gave books to my son. I will always love her.” – Laura

“Dolly’s music will stand the test of time, but I think her lasting legacy is the literacy programme she developed providing free books for children. Thank you for everything, a life well-lived and a legacy that will live on for generations.” – Edward in Newbiggin-by-the-Sea

“Dolly’s Imagination Library launched in the UK in 2007. What she has done to foster a love of books and reading in very young children is a huge part of who she has been – and her continuing influence.” – Hilary in London

Share your memories of Dolly with us.

The tribues keep pouring in from the world of music and entertainment.

“There’s only ever going to be one Dolly Parton.
What a soul she carried,” says actor Russell Crowe.

Musical playwriter Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber shared a memory of discussing song writing with her in her trailer, calling her “a great melodist and undisputed queen of storytelling songs”.

Actress Julia Roberts, who co-starred with Parton in the 1989 film Steel Magnolias, called her “a magical and joyous human. I hold knowing her as a treasure in my life. The sun has dimmed today.”

Singer-songwriter Linda Ronstadt said she was “deeply saddened by the passing of my friend, Dolly Parton.

“One of the most extraordinary musical experiences of my life was recording with her. The world is a poorer place without her.”

Musician Dionne Warwick said: “I will certainly miss her laughter, jokes and her being. Rest well and in total peace my friend. My heart is heavy.”

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said he was glad to have known her, and “she lifted everyone with her music, her generosity, and her joy”.

Image source, Getty Images

Dolly Parton’s charity, The Dollywood Foundation, says its team is “heartbroken” at the death of its founder, but promises its work will continue “as she lifts us all up”. In a statement, it said:

“Our team, our local program partners, and every operational partner who helps make this program possible each month are heartbroken at the loss of our founder, Dolly Parton.

She was always proud that her little program grew into what it is today. She was proudest of what it meant to her Dad. In her own words: ‘My Daddy told me the Imagination Library was probably the most important thing I had ever done.’

The world grieves with us today. And yet we find ourselves just as certain about what comes next.

For decades, Dolly and the team at The Dollywood Foundation — home of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library — worked to build something that would last for generations. So it will.

The work ahead has never felt more meaningful, and we will carry it forward as she lifts us all up.

Dolly, we will always love you.”

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, NBC via Getty Images

Musician Billy Ray Cyrus has paid a heartfelt tribute to his close friend and music collaborator of many decades Dolly Parton.

“I have so many moments and memories with Dolly, it’s hard to know where to start,” Cyrus says. “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 Parton was godmother to his daughter, Miley Cyrus.

“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.”

Nardine Saad
in Los Angeles

Image source, Getty Images

Rapper Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, says Parton sent him a heartfelt letter after both performers were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.

“I’m sorry we never got a chance to meet, but getting this note from Dolly really had an impact on me,” the 8 Mile rapper wrote on social media.

“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.

Parton famously tried to decline her own induction into the hall of fame because she felt she was more of a country-music star rather than a rock star. She ultimately accepted the nomination and used it to inspire her 2023 rock album Rockstar.

We’ve seen other notes she sent to fellow performers, on letterhead featuring her signature in pink on top, but most have been much more brief than the one she sent Eminem. Here it is:

“Marshall (Eminem),

Congratulations on your induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Your performance was amazing and everybody said so. Even though I don’t know a lot about rap music, I’ve come to know that you are the very best at it. Aside from that I hope what I have to say will not seem weird or strange to you but I have always felt some unexplained connection to you like I know you somehow. I had hoped to meet you at the show but you know how nuts those things are, personally I hate ’em and I missed my chance but maybe someday we’ll meet. In the meantime, keep doing what you’re doing because you do it so well and no matter how complex your world may be just know you are very special and touch people in ways you don’t even know.

With love & respect,

Dolly Parton”

Grace Eliza Goodwin
US reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Dolly Parton’s legacy extends far beyond music and entertainment, as the legendary star devoted decades of her life to charitable causes.

In 1988, Parton created the Dollywood Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to improving child literacy, funding scholarships and education, and offering community aid.

The foundation’s flagship programme is the Imagination Library, a free service that gifts one book per month to children from birth until their fifth birthday.

After wildfires swept through Parton’s home county in Tennessee in 2016, the foundation raised more than $12m for families who had lost their homes.

Parton has also donated millions more to pediatric infectious disease research, food and grocery programmes at the Salvation Army, assistance for Hurricane Helene victims and women’s health services.

When the pandemic swept around the world in 2020, she created the Dolly Parton Covid-19 Research Fund at Vanderbilt University, in her home state of Tennessee, which provided seed money for research that led to the Moderna vaccine against the disease.

In 2022, she received the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy which honoured her as “one of the entertainment world’s most generous philanthropists”.

“I just give from my heart,” she said when accepting the award. “I just see a need and if I can fill it, then I will.”

Josh Parry
LGBT and identity reporter

One of the most prominent LGBTQ+ organisations in the US, GLAAD, has paid tribute to Parton, calling her a “global queer icon”.

Parton, who had appeared at the group’s annual awards numerous times, both to present honours to others and as a winner herself, was “not just the queen of country music” but also “the queen of inclusivity and philanthropy”.

The non-profit advocacy group also praised her support for same-sex marriage, years before it became legal in the US, in its statement on Instagram.

It added: “Parton’s warm spirit, kindheartedness and joie de vivre deeply resonated with the LGBTQ community, cementing her as a global queer icon whose art always held space for outsiders, no matter the risk.”

It also said that her career was built on “love and respect for all” and that her “unwavering allyship is a legacy that will last forever”.

Image source, Robin Platzer/Images/Getty Images

Barbra Streisand has shared a photo of her with Dolly, flanked by music stars Neil Diamond and Billy Joel, on Instagram, writing: “So sorry to hear about Dolly – she was a true force of nature.

“May she rest in peace. Barbra.”

Helen Bushby
Culture reporter

Image source, gett

Parton was famous for her wisdom and humour, and many of her quotes reveal just how smart she really was, along with her depth, sensitivity and optimism.

Here are just a few of her famous quotes:

• “I’m not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I’m not dumb – and I’m not blonde either.”
• “I’m pretty sharp. I’m not educated and I’m not that intelligent, but I’m smart. They say somebody’s street smart. I feel like if I got intelligence, it’s just a country smart.”
• “It costs a lot of money to look this cheap.”
• “It’s a good thing I was born a girl, otherwise I’d be a drag queen.”
• “People always ask me how long it takes to do my hair. I don’t know, I’m never there.”
• “If I see something sagging, bagging and dragging, I’m going to nip it, tuck it, and suck it.”

• “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain!”
• “I always just thought if you see somebody without a smile, give’em yours!”
• “I’m not going to limit myself just because people won’t accept the fact that I can do something else.”
• “If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.”
• “Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.”
• “Storms make trees take deeper roots.”

Regan Morris
Reporting from Los Angeles

For hours now, flowers have been laid on the star honouring Dolly Parton on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood.

A bouquet of red flowers comes from a family who loves the iconic singer so much that they named their pet corgi “Dolly Paw-ton”.

Matti Schilling, her husband Ben, and her parents, Dottie and K.C. McKenzie, have traveled to LA from northern California to see Stevie Nicks perform on the Jimmy Kimmel show.

Dottie says she can’t wait to see Nicks perform and likely talk about her friend.

“She might even play a Dolly song, a tribute,” Dottie says.

Image source, Getty Images

The family of country star Lorretta Lynn, a contemporary known for the song Coal Miner’s Daughter, has just released a statement, saying they are “devastated to hear of Dolly’s passing”.

“Dolly was an icon, a legend, a world unto herself. But even more, she was mom’s friend,” the family statement says. “She was her ‘mountain sister’. They understood each other.”

They also refer to the 1993 album the two singers released together, titled Honky Tonk Angels, saying: “We take comfort in knowing the Honky Tonk Angels are together again and that one day, we will hear them live again.”

Image source, Getty Images

The family of singers Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson says it is deeply saddened by the death of the “incomparable” Dolly Parton.

“Dolly was a true trailblazer. Through her extraordinary talent, kindness and generosity, she opened doors and inspired generations around the world,” the Jackson family says on social media, posting a series of vintage photos.

Parton performed in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II at a Scottish Royal Jubilee Television Special and met the Jacksons – who were then in the band the Jackson Five – after that.

“We share this special memory from 1977, when we had the honor of meeting Dolly in England on the same day we also met Queen Elizabeth II,” the caption says.

“Thank you, Dolly, for the music, the joy and the light you shared with us all,” they go on. “May you rest peacefully in the loving arms of the Lord, reunited with your husband Carl and the many loved ones who made their journey to Heaven before you.

Telling her to rest in peace, they add: “Your beautiful spirit and remarkable legacy will live on forever.”

Audiences at 9 to 5: The Musical, which is showing at the Worthing Theatre in the UK, were told just before the performance started of her death.

An actor read a statement thanking Parton “for the joy she gave us” and dedicated the performance to her.

Helen Bushby
Culture reporter

Image source, Reuters

The singer spoke as recently as 21 August about her health, telling People: “I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl,” referring to her late husband Carl Dean, who died last year.

The cause of her death is not yet known.

Parton spoke about the immense public interest in her health issues.

“It’s not like I haven’t been through hard times with my health. But I think because we live in a 24/7 world with social media, everything gets magnified in ways it wasn’t years ago,” she said.

“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’.”

She was famous for her unstoppable work ethic, which meant she was always productive, whether it was her music, philanthropy, acting, writing or business career.

She did have to slow down recently though, after saying last September she was postponing and then cancelling her Las Vegas residency shows due to “health challenges”. She cited long issues with kidney stones.

Even then, she told fans she was staying busy with her Broadway musical, proving even when unwell she was still focused on her career.

Image source, Variety via Getty Images

The entertainment world continues to pay tributes to Dolly Parton.

Sir Mick Jagger says Parton “brought so many people together” while Sting says she was a “stellar talent and a genuinely unique and wonderful woman”.

Singer Kelly Clarkson says “Dolly Parton had a way of making everyone feel special, and seen, and welcomed, and as if you were old friends”.

Actor Colman Domingo says “Dolly taught us that you can be anything and do anything and to do it with kindness. What a light. We are all grateful that we lived in a time of Dolly Parton”.

Singer and guitarist Melissa Etheridge, who worked with Dolly Party says “Words fail me today, words to describe the spirit that was Dolly. I was blessed with knowing her, just a little. We all were. I will strive the rest of my days to be as joyful and loving as she was”.

Singer Cyndi Lauper also collaborated with Dolly Parton. “It’s hard for me to imagine the world without Dolly. Dolly’s heart was as big as her talent,” she says.

“She was not only a great singer/song writer/actress/TV star, Dolly also lived her art. She used her art, her fame and her money to help so many people.”