Dolly Parton: 10 things to know about the Country Queen who died at 80 after six decades of stardom

Legendary American singer, songwriter and actress Dolly Parton died on Tuesday at the age of 80, ending an extraordinary career spanning more than six decades that took her from a one-room cabin in Tennessee to global superstardom.

As reported by PM News Nigeria, Parton — born January 19, 1946, the fourth of 12 children — rose from poverty to sell over 100 million records worldwide, win 11 Grammy Awards and star in Hollywood films including 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias.

She famously wrote both “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” on the same day — the latter becoming a global phenomenon through Whitney Houston’s 1992 rendition. Beyond music, Parton launched the Imagination Library in 1995, sending free books to millions of children globally.

She was married to Carl Dean for nearly 60 years until his death in March 2025. Her family did not disclose the cause of her death.