Dolly Parton Died After Brief Battle With Cancer
New York Times · LC · trust 61/100
Parton had recently canceled a Las Vegas residency because of health issues. A spokesman said she was admitted to a cancer center in Nashville on Friday.
Listen · 2:41 min Share full article In the past, Dolly Parton said she had dealt with challenges involving her immune and digestive systems. Credit... Cathal Mcnaughton/Reuters By Julia Jacobs
Parton’s death was announced earlier Tuesday by her family, prompting widespread tributes for a singer who dominated her genre for decades and influenced generations of artists. She was 80.
“Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched,” the statement said.
A spokesman did not provide additional details about Parton’s illness but said she had been admitted to the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville on Friday.
Starting from her recording debut in 1959, Parton built a career as a honey-toned vocalist with a gift for songwriting and a big-haired, rhinestone-studded style. She broke into Hollywood, established a business empire and, well into the seventh decade of her career, still managed to charm both sides of America’s widening cultural divide.
Concerns about Parton’s health arose last year after she postponed a Las Vegas residency, saying she was dealing with unspecified health problems that required her to be closer to home in Tennessee for treatment. When she canceled the residency in May , she said she had been dealing with a large number of kidney stones, as well as challenges with her immune and digestive systems.
Parton had said that at times she had struggled to look after her own health when taking care of her husband, Carl Dean, who died in March 2025 . In a series of videos, she gave her fans several health updates, all of them with the bright optimism and humor she was long known for. “I don’t think God is through with me and I ain’t done working,” she said in a video last fall.
It is unclear when Parton received the cancer diagnosis. Just over a week ago, she missed a scheduled appearance at Dollywood, the amusement park she built near her hometown in eastern Tennessee. In a video played for attendees at the park, Parton said that she had been dealing with dizziness and dehydration, and that her doctors had advised her against travel.
Several days before her death, Parton said in a statement to People magazine that even while she was focused on her health, she was still working. “I still have so many things I want to achieve,” she said, “so I’m gonna keep on working as long as I can to see everything come to life.”
Julia Jacobs is an arts and culture reporter who often covers legal issues for The Times.
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