Dolly Parton passes away at age 80 after cancer battle, team confirms

Country music artist Dolly Parton passed away at the age of 80 after a brief battle with cancer, as confirmed by her team on Tuesday. In a statement, her representatives said, "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 specific type of cancer was not disclosed. Parton's family shared the news of her death in a video posted to social media on Tuesday, shortly after she was reportedly admitted to a Nashville-area hospital for autoimmune and kidney issues, according to TMZ. In her final interview with PEOPLE published on August 25, 2026, Parton mentioned that she was "dealing with some health issues" that she had not prioritized while caring for her husband, Carl Dean, who passed away in March 2025. Over the past year, Parton had canceled several performances and appearances due to her health problems, including an event at her Dollywood amusement park scheduled for August 14, 2026, which was canceled due to dehydration.