Country music legend Dolly Parton, whose music, personality and generosity made her one of the most recognizable and beloved entertainers in the world, died Tuesday at the age of 80.
Parton died in Nashville, Tennessee, according to an announcement from her family.
Born in rural East Tennessee in 1946, Parton rose from humble beginnings to become an international music and entertainment icon. Her career spanned more than six decades and included songs such as “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You,” along with a successful film career that included “9 to 5” and “Steel Magnolias.”
Parton sold more than 100 million records worldwide and earned numerous honors throughout her career, including 10 Grammy Awards. But her impact extended well beyond entertainment.
Her philanthropy included disaster relief, support for health care and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which she started in 1995 to provide books to young children. The program grew from its beginnings in East Tennessee to distributing millions of books each month to children around the world.
For me, however, the news of Parton’s death carries a more personal connection.
I first had the opportunity to meet her in 2016. Over the decade that followed, my partner, Zach, and I spent time around her behind the scenes on several occasions.
Of all the celebrities I’ve had the opportunity to meet and spend time around during my career, Dolly was by far the most genuine and down-to-earth. The person millions of people saw on television and on stage was the same person we experienced behind the scenes. She was quick-witted, funny and had a way of immediately making the people around her feel comfortable.
One of my favorite memories came when Zach helped our friend Steve, Parton’s Creative Director, with an outfit Dolly was going to wear at Dollywood. Zach helped piece together the wings for the outfit, and before Dolly headed to the park, we received a call asking us to come down to her tour bus.
Dolly and Steve wanted Zach to be one of the first people to see the wings he had worked on actually being worn by her before the public saw them.
We spent about 10 to 15 minutes on the bus, talking, joking and enjoying the moment. When it was finally time for Dolly to leave for the park, she told Zach how much she liked the finished outfit and thanked him for his work.
Then, in classic Dolly fashion, she jokingly told us it was time to “get your asses off my bus.”
It remains one of my favorite memories of her because it captured exactly what she was like during the times I was around her. There was no sense that you were supposed to act differently because you were around Dolly Parton. She joked with you, talked with you and made you feel welcome.
The last time I saw Dolly was while filming a scene for the television movie “Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas,” where I worked as an extra. She recognized me, smiled and said hello, and joked around between takes.
Every experience I had around Dolly was like that. She made it a wonderful and comfortable experience, and what always stood out was just how genuine she was.
Parton maintained deep ties to her East Tennessee roots throughout her life. Dollywood, her theme park in Pigeon Forge, became one of the region’s best-known attractions, while her philanthropy reached far beyond the Smoky Mountains.
Her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, died in March 2025 at the age of 82.
For generations of fans, Dolly Parton will be remembered as a legendary singer, songwriter, actress, philanthropist and cultural icon.
For those of us fortunate enough to spend even a little time around her, there will also be memories of the person behind all of it.
I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have had some of those moments.
Thank you, Dolly, for always being exactly who you were.
A Moore County native who has spent more than 20 years telling stories across North Carolina and beyond. He’s worked with CNN, WRAL, and CBS 17, and now serves as a Video Journalist for ABC11. Patrick has a passion for breaking news and has earned multiple awards for his coverage. He’s also a certified NWS SKYWARN Storm Spotter and was among the first news videographers in the state to become an FAA-certified drone pilot.
