Representatives for Dolly Parton said the 80-year-old singer, actress and philanthropist died at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center after a brief battle with cancer, surrounded by loved ones.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom.
Dolly Parton died following a brief battle with cancer, representatives for the country music legend confirmed Tuesday, revealing the cause of death one day after her family publicly announced her passing at age 80.
Parton’s representatives told Page Six that she died at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center while surrounded by loved ones. They did not disclose what type of cancer she had.
“After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones,” the statement said.
The representatives remembered Parton not only for a career that made her one of America’s most recognizable entertainers but also for the charitable work that became a defining part of her legacy.
“Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched,” they said. “Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand.”
Parton’s philanthropic work included the Imagination Library, the literacy initiative she established to provide free books to children, as well as support for medical research.
“Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact,” the statement added.
The disclosure provides new information about the health problems Parton had been experiencing before her death.
Her passing was announced Monday by Bryan Seaver, Parton’s nephew and longtime head of security, in a video released on behalf of the Parton and Owens families.
“I am representing the Parton and Owens family today, announcing the passing of my Aunt Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean,” Seaver said. “Sister, sis and Aunt Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next.”
Seaver said Parton had personally asked him years earlier to be the person responsible for making the announcement when the time eventually came.
“This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago before I fully absorbed it as a future reality,” he said. “As her head of security for more than two decades, a role my father, Larry, held before me, I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven’t truly felt it until now.”
Seaver’s father, Larry, previously held the same security role before Bryan Seaver took over, giving the family a longstanding responsibility for Parton’s personal protection.
Public concern about Parton’s health had intensified months before her death.
As Variety reported, Parton’s health became a major public topic in fall 2025 after she announced she would be unable to proceed with a planned six-show December residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
The residency had been promoted as a long-awaited return to live concert performance.
Parton’s representatives have now confirmed that her final illness was cancer, though no additional details about the diagnosis, when it was discovered or the specific form of the disease were provided.
The confirmation adds a final chapter to the life of an entertainer whose influence extended well beyond country music through film, television, songwriting and philanthropy.
Her representatives emphasized that they viewed Parton’s charitable work, particularly her literacy efforts and support for medical research, as inseparable from the legacy she leaves behind.
Parton died at 80 surrounded by loved ones at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center following what her representatives described as a brief battle with the disease.
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