Dolly Parton, the iconic star of American country music, songwriter, actress, businesswoman and philanthropist, has died at the age of 80. Her family announced her death on August 25.
From a little girl who grew up in deep poverty in the mountains of Tennessee, she became one of the most recognizable and beloved figures in the United States over the course of a career spanning more than seven decades. Dolly sold more than 100 million records, won 11 Grammy Awards, and was behind such songs as Jolene, 9 to 5 and I Will Always Love You.
Parton was one of those global stars who, alongside her fame, devoted an extraordinary amount of energy and money to charitable causes for decades. The Imagination Library, which she founded in 1995, originally sent free books to young children in her home state of Tennessee — partly inspired by the fact that her own father could neither read nor write. The initiative later grew into an international program and has since distributed hundreds of millions of books free of charge to young children in several countries.
She also supported education, healthcare and victims of natural disasters. During the Covid pandemic, she donated $1 million to research that contributed to the development of Moderna’s vaccine, and earlier helped raise significant funds for those affected by devastating wildfires in Tennessee. Parton, however, rarely spoke about her philanthropy, something that made her especially well liked in Hollywood circles.
In her later years, Parton once again found herself at the center of attention in the United States. New generations discovered her in her seventies, and at 77 she staged a remarkable musical comeback: her 2023 rock album Rockstar reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200, the highest position of her career on that chart. The album featured an extraordinary lineup of stars, from Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr to Sting, Elton John and Miley Cyrus.
Even just days before her death, she was still talking about new plans. Although health problems had forced her to cancel her Las Vegas performances and several public appearances, she continued working on plans for a museum and hotel in Nashville, as well as a Broadway musical based on her life. On August 19, she virtually accepted the ACM Honors Poet’s Award for songwriting, according to the American magazine People.
Behind Dolly Parton’s unmistakable trademarks — the towering blonde hair, the rhinestones and the self-deprecating humor — was an exceptional songwriter, an extraordinarily savvy businesswoman, and a person who used a significant part of her wealth and fame to make other people’s lives better.
Dolly Parton was 80 years old.
(Opening photo: Facebook)
