Today, country fans in both The Volunteer State and worldwide mourn the loss of industry icon Dolly Parton, who peacefully passed away at her Nashville home at the age of 80 years old.
Born on January 19, 1946 in Pittman Center, Tennessee, Parton started off singing at her grandfather’s church and began playing guitar at the age of 6.
After moving to Nashville following her high school graduation in 1964, Parton scored her first big break on The Porter Wagoner Show, which would help her land her first record deal.
From there, Dolly would go on to create such hit country songs as “9 to 5,” “Jolene,” and “I Will Always Love You,” which became a megahit after Whitney Houston did a rendition of the piece for the 1992 film, The Bodyguard.
After a decades-long career, Dolly Parton began struggling with health issues, exacerbated by the death of her husband Carl Thomas Dean in March 2025 (to whom she had been married since 1966).
Dolly Parton leaves behind countless fans worldwide and a career marked by vast accolades, including 11 Grammy Awards and induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
NASHVILLE – 1965: Country singer Dolly Parton poses for a portrait in 1965 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
