Adedokun Waliyu 
Music legend Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80 after a brief battle with cancer, according to reports from US media.
Parton’s representatives confirmed her death after her family announced the passing on Tuesday. Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, said in a social media video that she had “lived in the light” and was now “in the arms of Jesus.”
The family did not provide further details about the type of cancer or her specific cause of death. However, Parton had recently spoken publicly about experiencing health problems.
People magazine reported that she was admitted to a cancer treatment facility on Friday. In May, she had also cancelled a series of planned Las Vegas performances, explaining that she was dealing with ongoing health concerns.
Parton rose from poverty in Tennessee to become one of America’s most influential entertainers, building a career spanning more than six decades as a singer, songwriter, actress, philanthropist and businesswoman.
She became widely known after joining Porter Wagoner’s television show in 1967, which helped introduce her music to millions of Americans.
Over her extraordinary career, Parton wrote approximately 3,000 songs, including classics such as “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” “Coat of Many Colours” and “I Will Always Love You,” which later became a worldwide hit for Whitney Houston.
She released dozens of studio albums and more than 100 compilation and collaboration albums, earning widespread recognition as the “Queen of Country Music.”
Her influence extended far beyond country music, with artists including Shania Twain, Sinead O’Connor and the White Stripes recording versions of her songs.
US President Donald Trump ordered American flags to be flown at half-staff across the country for a week in her honour, describing her death as a “true loss for millions of people.”
“There has never been anyone like her, and never will,” Trump said.
Parton’s death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from fans, musicians and public figures across the United States and beyond.
Her husband, Carl Dean, died in 2025.
