Dolly Parton, iconic American singer and songwriter who shaped country music, dies at 80
Dolly Parton, the legendary American country singer, songwriter and actress, died on Tuesday aged 80, her family said.Parton was one of the most successful figures in country music, selling more than 100 million records worldwide and winning 11 Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award. Her most famous songs include “Jolene”, “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You”.Born on January 19, 1946, in Tennessee, Parton grew up in a poor family and was one of 12 children. She began writing songs when she was about six years old. Her first known song, “Little Tiny Tasseltop”, was about a corncob doll made with corn-silk hair.“I loved that little doll,” Parton wrote decades later. “I expressed myself and my feelings through writing – I’m sure what I was thinking was, ‘Well, Tasseltop has to have a song about her.'”She received her first guitar at eight and began performing on local radio at 11. At 13, she appeared at the Grand Ole Opry, a famous country music venue and radio programme in Nashville.After finishing school, Parton moved to Nashville to pursue music. She became a regular performer on singer Porter Wagoner’s television show and recorded 14 top-10 duets with him. She wrote “I Will Always Love You” when she left the show to start her solo career. The song later became a global hit after Whitney Houston recorded it for the film “The Bodyguard”.Parton also became a successful actress. She starred in films including “9 to 5”, “Steel Magnolias” and “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”. She received Oscar nominations for songwriting for “9 to 5” and “Travelin’ Thru”.She wrote an estimated 3,000 songs during her career, with 25 reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Country chart. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.Parton also built a business and entertainment empire, including Dollywood theme park in Tennessee.Her philanthropic work included a children’s literacy programme that reached families in the US and several other countries. In 2020, she donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University for Covid-19 vaccine research, which supported work connected to Moderna’s vaccine.Parton was married to Carl Dean from 1966 until his death in 2025. He generally stayed away from the public spotlight.“I love to write poetic songs and sing flowery words,” Parton wrote in her book “Dolly Parton, Songteller”. “I like to make you see something visually, so I want to paint a picture. And I love to come up with clever lines, not just like a songwriter, but like a poet.”
