Country music superstar Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80, her family has announced.
The musician was best known for her genre-defining hits including ‘9 To 5’, ‘I Will Always Love You’ and ‘Jolene’.
The announcement was made by her nephew and head of security, Brian Seaver, in a post on social media.
He said: “My name is Brian Seaver, son of Cassie Parton, and I’m representing the Parton and Owens family today announcing the passing of my aunt, Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean.
“Sister, Sis and Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next.
“This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality. 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.
“It is an honour, an honour that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness. But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly.
“Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents and countless others who have watched her and longed to meet her in the heavens.”
Born in January 1946 in Tennessee as the fourth of 12 children, Parton’s early years were spent in a one-room cabin.
She described her family as having been “dirt poor”, and her initial success in music came as a songwriter writing hits for Bill Phillips, Skeeter Davis and Hank Williams among others.
In 1967 she was invited to join the Porter Wagoner Show as a performer and was eventually signed to RCA records.
She released the biggest hit of her career, ‘Jolene’ in 1973 which became her first UK hit by reaching number seven as well as topping the country charts in her native United States, while the following year her song ‘I Will Always Love You’ was recorded by Elvis Presley.
Singer, songwriter, philanthropist and actress Dolly Parton died on August 25 in Nashville, Tennessee. She was 80 years old (Image: David Redfern/Redferns)
She enjoyed further success in the 1980s, particularly with the theme song to the feature film 9 to 5 which she starred in alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.
She continued to perform until the months before her death, and was known for her philanthropy through her Dollywood Foundation which, among other things, distributed more than 100 million free books to children.
