Dolly Parton, the legendary country music superstar whose career stretched across six extraordinary decades, has died aged 80.

Her death was confirmed in an emotional Instagram video posted by her nephew Bryan Seaver, who also served as Parton’s head of security. Seaver revealed that the announcement was something his aunt had asked him to make years ago.

“This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago before I fully absorbed it as a future reality,” he said.

Paying tribute to the beloved singer, Seaver said Parton had “lived in the light” and was now “in the arms of Jesus”, alongside her late husband Carl Dean, her parents and “countless others who have watched her and longed to meet her in the heavens.”

Parton, widely known as the Queen of Country, leaves behind a remarkable musical legacy that includes some of the most recognisable songs in popular music, among them Jolene, 9 to 5 and I Will Always Love You.

Her death comes after months of health concerns, during which she withdrew from a number of public appearances and performances, prompting growing concern among her fans.

Just four days before her death, Parton had spoken publicly about her future ambitions, insisting she still had “so many things I want to achieve”. She also vowed to keep “working as long as I can to see everything come to life”.

The singer acknowledged at the time that she had been dealing with “some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl.”

Parton’s nephew also reflected on the extraordinary influence she had on her family. Recalling joining her on tour as a child in the 1980s, Seaver said she had “opened doors not just for me but for her entire family to reach the potential we didn’t even know was possible.”

He described his aunt as a woman who remained connected to her humble roots.

“She was a farmer, just like her daddy; he farmed the soil, she farmed songs and happiness,” he said.

Seaver also shared a poignant final wish from Parton, saying: “Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because after a life of wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest.”

Born on January 19, 1946, in Pittman Center, Tennessee, Parton was the fourth of 12 children. She and her siblings grew up in the Great Smoky Mountains in a family home without running water, gas or electricity, sleeping on beds made from straw.

Her love of music emerged early. As a child, she performed on local radio and television in East Tennessee before releasing her first single, Puppy Love, at just 13.

One of her most enduring songs, Jolene, was partly inspired by a red-haired bank teller who had developed a crush on her husband, Carl Dean.

“She got this terrible crush on my husband,” Parton recalled in a 2008 interview. “And he just loved going to the bank because she paid him so much attention.”

She joked that the situation became a running gag between the couple, telling her husband: “Hell, you’re spending a lot of time at the bank. I don’t believe we’ve got that kind of money.”

Years later, Parton recalled the story at Glastonbury, saying: “I wrote that years ago when my husband… was spending a little more time with Jolene than I thought he should be.”

“I put a stop to that. I got rid of that redhead woman in a hurry.”

Another of Parton’s defining songs, I Will Always Love You, was written after she decided to end her professional relationship with mentor and former business partner Porter Wagoner as she pursued a solo career.

The song topped the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart twice and later became an international phenomenon after Whitney Houston recorded it for The Bodyguard soundtrack.

Parton had famously refused to allow Elvis Presley to record the song after his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, demanded half of its publishing rights.

“I wouldn’t let Colonel Tom Parker,” Parton recalled during a 2023 BBC Radio 2 interview.

“Elvis loved the song,” she explained, recalling how Parker had told her that recordings with Presley required publishing rights. Parton refused, protecting what she regarded as the most important copyright in her publishing company.

Although she admitted she was “heartbroken” that she never got to hear Elvis record the song, her decision ultimately proved hugely significant. Houston’s version became a global smash and helped propel The Bodyguard soundtrack to 18-times platinum status.

Parton also wrote and performed 9 to 5 for the 1980 comedy film of the same name, starring alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. She famously created the song’s distinctive rhythm by clicking her fingernails together while on set.

The track became one of her biggest hits and earned a string of major accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Original Song and two Grammy Awards.

Parton’s personal life also carried profound loss. In March 2025, she lost Carl Dean after almost 60 years of marriage. The couple had married in 1966 in Ringgold, Georgia, and although they never had children, they helped raise several of Parton’s younger siblings in Nashville.

Now, after a life that transformed her from a child growing up in poverty in the Tennessee mountains into one of the world’s most celebrated entertainers, Dolly Parton’s final chapter has been written — leaving behind music, memories and a legacy that spans generations