Dolly Parton, the country music star who rose from poverty in rural Tennessee to become a global cultural icon, has died at 80, her family said on Tuesday.
Parton was more than a singer. She wrote around 3,000 songs, acted in major Hollywood films and donated millions of dollars to charities in Tennessee and beyond. She was also a successful businesswoman whose interests included Dollywood theme park, cosmetics, pet apparel, baking mixes and a truck stop.
“Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of the Lord”, her nephew Bryan Seaver said in a video announcing her death.
Parton died after a brief battle with cancer, her third cousin Brent Allen confirmed to AFP. Her husband, Carl Dean, died last year.
Born in 1946 as one of 12 children in rural Tennessee, Parton moved to Nashville after graduating from high school. By 1967, at 21, she had become a recognised figure in country music after joining Porter Wagoner’s television show.
Her six-decade career produced 49 studio albums and more than 100 compilation and collaboration albums. Among her best-known songs were “Jolene”, “Coat of Many Colors”, “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You”, which became an international hit for Whitney Houston.
Known for her glittering style, blonde wigs and larger-than-life personality, Parton became an American cultural treasure and an inspiration to generations of musicians.
Parton had recently faced health challenges. She postponed and later cancelled Las Vegas concerts, saying treatment for an unnamed illness was going well but that she was not ready to perform.
Tributes poured in following her death. The Grand Ole Opry described her passing as a moment of profound loss, while actress Jane Fonda, her co-star in “9 to 5”, said she was “devastated”. Lily Tomlin, another co-star, said: “No words”.
President Donald Trump called Parton’s death a “true loss for millions of people” and said there had “never been anyone like her and never will”.
Taylor Swift called Parton “eternally generous”, while Mick Jagger said she had brought people together and would be deeply missed. — AFP
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