Dolly Parton, Country Music Icon and Longtime LGBTQ+ Ally, Dies at 80
Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean, the singer-songwriter and actress known worldwide as Dolly Parton, died Tuesday in Nashville at 80, according to a family statement. Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, announced the death in a video posted to her official social media accounts on behalf of her family. No cause of death was disclosed.
Parton was born in 1946 in a one-room cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains of Eastern Tennessee, one of twelve children. She released her debut album, Hello, I'm Dolly, in 1967 and went on a recording career spanning more than six decades, writing hit songs including "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You." She also starred in films including the 1980 workplace comedy 9 to 5, and founded the Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
Throughout her career, Parton spoke publicly in support of the LGBTQ+ community. She voiced support for respect and acceptance, including her 1991 song "Family," which emphasized caring for one another despite differences. In 2006, Dolly earned an Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Travelin' Thru," a song featured in the 2005 film Transamerica about a trans woman traveling the country with her newly acknowledged son. In December 2023, Parton sent a custom rhinestone-covered guitar to Brigitte Bandit, an Austin, Texas, drag performer and activist who spent the year testifying against Texas legislation restricting drag performances and was a plaintiff in a related federal lawsuit.
Parton was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. She was also known for her philanthropic work, including the Dollywood Foundation and the Imagination Library, a program that distributes free books to children. The family has asked that, in lieu of flowers, donations be directed to the Imagination Library.
