Dolly Parton, the globally beloved country music icon, prolific songwriter, and humanitarian, passed away peacefully on August 25, 2026, at age 80 following a brief battle with cancer.

Rising from rural poverty in Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains, Parton became one of music’s most decorated artists. Her accolades include 11 Grammy Awards, 10 Country Music Association Awards, the Kennedy Center Honors, a Library of Congress Living Legend Medal, and inductions into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Over a six-decade career, she wrote an estimated 3,000 songs and achieved 25 Billboard Country No. 1 hits. Her chart-topping classics include:

• Jolene
• 9 to 5
• I Will Always Love You
• Islands in the Stream (with Kenny Rogers)

Beyond music, Parton leaves a lasting legacy through her extensive philanthropy, including the Imagination Library—which has gifted over 300 million books to young children—and significant funding for COVID-19 vaccine research. Her warmth, wit, and unmatched artistry will inspire generations to come.

Source: the Guardian