Dolly Parton, the rhinestone-clad songwriter who turned a hardscrabble Appalachian childhood into an empire of music, movies, theme parks and children's literacy, died Tuesday morning at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. She was 80.

Her death was confirmed in a statement from her representatives and in a video message from her nephew, Bryan Seaver, shared on Parton's official social media accounts, according to NPR and TMZ. Neither statement disclosed a cause of death. TMZ reported Parton had been admitted to Vanderbilt in the preceding days with kidney and autoimmune complications, and that loved ones rushed to Nashville after learning she was hospitalized — but did not expect the stay to be fatal, having watched her recover from past health setbacks.

The hospitalization followed months of health warnings. Parton canceled her Las Vegas residency shows in May, citing ongoing treatment for kidney stones, and abruptly pulled out of a Dollywood appearance earlier this month. Her husband of 58 years, Carl Dean, died in March 2025. In a recent interview cited by TMZ, Parton had said she was "dealing with some health issues that I just didn't pay attention to when I was watching over Carl."

Parton's representatives released a statement calling her "a rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see," adding that she "will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family," per NPR.

Seven Decades, 100 Million Records

Across a career that began in the mid-1960s, Parton sold more than 100 million records worldwide and wrote signature hits including "Jolene," "9 to 5" and "I Will Always Love You" — the latter famously reinterpreted by Whitney Houston. She earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song and crossed into Hollywood with roles in 9 to 5, Steel Magnolias and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. She built the Dollywood theme park in the Great Smoky Mountains and founded the Imagination Library, a literacy program that has mailed free books to children around the world for decades.

Tributes from the country music world and beyond arrived within hours of the news breaking. Reba McEntire wrote that Parton gave the world "so much with your huge huge heart," adding, "There will never ever be another you," according to The Hollywood Reporter's roundup of reactions.

"There will never ever be another you." — Reba McEntire

Dionne Warwick wrote she would "certainly miss her laughter, jokes and her being," while Kelsea Ballerini called Parton her "East Tennessee angel." Blake Shelton described time spent with Parton as being "with the funnest, most loving, most caring and closest member of your family," and Reese Witherspoon credited her with words of encouragement that "lit up our lives." The Country Music Hall of Fame said in a statement that Parton's "legacy is not celebrity, but humanity."

Family members are planning a small, private ceremony in Nashville in the coming days, with details expected to remain limited to close family and friends, TMZ reported. No public memorial has yet been announced, and representatives have not indicated whether an autopsy or further medical statement will follow.