The Latest: Dolly Parton, iconic singer and songwriter, dies at age 80

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Dolly Parton, the iconic songwriter, singer and actor, has died. A statement from her publicist says she died peacefully Tuesday at the age of 80 in Nashville, Tennessee. Parton wrote and sang hundreds of songs, including classics like “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You,” that totaled more than 100 million worldwide sales and more than 1 billion online streams. Tributes are pouring in for Parton, who was among the most beloved personalities in music — the rare celebrity whose appeal transcended generations, geography and politics.

Here's the Latest:

Actor Jamie Lee Curtis called her “a great example for us all.”

Actor and producer Seth MacFarlane worked with her on “The Orville” and said her “kindness, generosity, and authenticity were evident from moment one.”

Actor Patricia Heaton simply said: “What a gift. What a loss.”

Parton was more than a musician, actor, author, philanthropist, or theme-park entrepreneur.

She occupied a space in our global cultural imagination — a figure of American mythology, someone best described as larger than life — and then a little bit more. But from the very beginning, at the heart of everything she accomplished, she was a songwriter.

Selecting 11 songs across her many decades of recorded music is a fool’s errand, but there are some classics that stand above others, from 1968’s “Just Because I’m a Woman” through 2014’s “Blue Smoke." Listen to all of the tracks on our Spotify playlist.

▶See the full list and the stories behind Parton’s songs.

Carl Dean, Parton’s devoted husband of nearly 60 years who avoided the spotlight and inspired her timeless hit “Jolene,” died in March 2025. He was 82.

“Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy,” Parton wrote after his death.

Parton met Dean outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat the day she moved to Nashville at 18.

“I was surprised and delighted that while he talked to me, he looked at my face (a rare thing for me),” Parton said. “He seemed to be genuinely interested in finding out who I was and what I was about.”

▶Read more from the AP’s obituary of Dean

Dolly’s angelic voice floated throughout her first gospel album in 1971 with songs like “I Believe,” “Lord Hold My Hand” and the title track, “Golden Streets of Glory.”

She told The Associated Press last year that the steadfast faith that inspired those hymns anchored her throughout her grief after the death of her husband, Carl Dean.

“I am a person of faith, and I truly believe that I’m going to see him again someday. And I see him every day in my memories and in my heart, and in all the things that we used to do and all the things that we’ve built together,” Parton said in 2025. “You just kind of have to learn to kind of make new plans — but that’s the hardest part.”

▶ Read more from the AP’s May 2025 interview with Parton

Sarah Trahern said, “few artists define Country Music better than the one-word, Dolly.”

The CMA executive recalled Parton was always the most professional in every setting, “often walking off the bus in heels and hair and makeup ready to go.”

She says Parton will be remembered for “the genuine difference she has made in people’s lives throughout the world. There will only ever be one Dolly.”

Parton earned nine CMA Awards across her career. Her first was awarded to her in 1968. She also received CMA’s Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.

Dionne Warwick says her heart is heavy from the news that Dolly Parton has died.

“The Heavenly Father has made the decision to bring another of his children to him. Dolly a true child of God is in the best hands now,” Warwick said in a statement Tuesday.

“I will certainly miss her laughter, jokes and her being. Rest well and in total peace my friend.”

President Donald Trump in a statement on social media called Dolly Parton “one of the greatest Country singers, and far beyond.”

“This is a true loss for millions of people,” Trump added. “There has never been anyone like her, and never will.”

Trump also said that he was ordering the lowering of U.S. flags throughout the country for a week period beginning on Tuesday evening.

Bryan Seaver, Parton’s nephew and head of security, said she opened doors for her family and for generations of singers, songwriters, musicians and dreamers from every walk of life.

“By her example, we believed that anything was possible,” Seaver said in a video posted to X.

The nephew noted, “She never saw a door she couldn’t open, and the doors she opened made and changed history.”

“The world feels a lot less sparkly all of a sudden,” the singer posted on X.

“So glad she’s with her Carl Dean. No one talk to me today.”

Parton wrote hundreds of songs, including classics like “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You.” All told, her songs totaled more than 100 million worldwide sales and more than 1 billion online streams.

Known for her curvy physique, massive blonde wigs and skin-tight outfits that served her self-deprecating wit, she was among the most beloved personalities in music and beyond. Hers was a unique celebrity appeal that transcended generations, geography and politics.

Parton also was a successful businesswoman whose projects included a theme park in the Smoky Mountain foothills near her birthplace.

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young shared a statement about the passing of the superstar, who was inducted into the hall in 1999.

“Dolly Parton’s legacy is not celebrity, but humanity,” Young said, calling her a “champion of equality and literacy.”

“She was a picture of dignity, even when dressed outrageously. Anyone who seeks to be more like Dolly is on the right track, but they’ll never get to the finish line. She came from poverty to become the most important native of Tennessee. She shared her fortunes for the good of all of us, and shared her soul in every note she sang.”

The beloved American music and film star was known for her vibrant personality and poignant songwriting. Her career spanned decades, with hits like “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You.”

She was born in Tennessee and rose from humble beginnings to become a country music icon. Her ensuing partnership with Porter Wagoner helped launch her career, and she later became a successful actor and businesswoman.

Parton was also a philanthropist, founding her Imagination Library to promote children’s literacy. Her charm and humor made her a beloved figure across generations and political divides.

For millions of fans, she was simply “Dolly,” a mixture of Southern charm, humor and glamour. But she was also considered a feminist role model for holding the reins of her own career, writing her own songs, owning her content and looking after her finances in an entertainment world dominated by men.

Parton was open to making fun of herself; when she hosted “Saturday Night Live” in 1989 she told the writers that her only restrictions were she wouldn’t curse and she wouldn’t make fun of Jesus.

She regularly joked about her breasts or her dumb blonde appearance, but with a wink that she was the one controlling the laughs. In the memoir “My Life So Far,” Jane Fonda remembered Parton’s way with a wisecrack, “usually high raunch,” and a laugh that was “somewhere between a girl’s giggle, an explosive shriek, and a cascade of little bells.”

Producers tell The Associated Press that “as was Dolly’s wish, the Broadway production of ‘Dolly: A True Original Musical’ will begin previews on Dec. 7 at the St. James Theatre in New York City.”

Parton was writing new songs to go along with some of her past hits and co-writing the stage story, teaming up with Maria S. Schlatte on the story.

It won’t be the first time Parton’s music will be heard on Broadway.

A stage version of “9 to 5” landed in 2009 starring Stephanie J. Block, Megan Hilty and Allison Janney, and the 1993 Christmas special “Candles, Snow & Mistletoe” contained her song “With Bells On.”

In Sevierville, Tennessee, fans laid flowers at the base of a statue of the singer holding a guitar. Parton was born near Sevierville and she spoke proudly of her upbringing there.

In Nashville, fans lined up at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to write notes to the late singer, who is enshrined in hall. Outside the hall of fame, fans left yellow and pink flowers on another plaque dedicated to Parton.

Across the country in California, fans also placed flowers on Parton’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Tuesday afternoon. Someone also left a picture there of Parton with the caption, “Farewell to a beloved American icon.”

The digital library app Libby wrote on Facebook that Parton inspired generations of young readers through her Imagination Library, which provided free books to millions of kids around the world.

Parton created the program in honor of her father, who never learned to read or write.

“Dolly was a beloved artist and cultural icon, but perhaps just as importantly, she was a lifelong champion of literacy and the belief that everyone deserves access to books,” Libby wrote in the post.

Separately, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio and his wife, Fran, said she changed many lives through her efforts. Fran DeWine had worked with Parton to create one of the largest Imagination Library programs in the nation.

“Because of Dolly, millions of children around the country and the world are getting free books and learning how to read, which will, in many cases, change the trajectory of their lives," Fran DeWine said.

U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon also praised Parton, saying she "helped spark a lifelong love of reading” in generations of youth.

Throughout her career, Dolly Parton was embraced by the LGBTQ community. And for good reason: acceptance has long been a theme in her music.

Take, for example, “Family” on her 1991 album “Eagle When She Flies.” It’s a moving song about tolerance in which Parton sings: “Some are preachers, some are gay / Some are addicts, drunks and strays / But not a one is turned away / When it’s family.”

“I don’t condemn nor condone anything,” Parton once told The Associated Press regarding the song. “I just love and accept people where they are for who they are.”

On Tuesday, GLAAD’s President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis issued a statement paying tribute to Parton.

“Dolly Parton was not only the ‘Queen of Country Music’, but indeed the queen of inclusivity and philanthropy,” Ellie wrote. “Parton’s entire career was built on love and respect for all, and her unwavering allyship is a legacy that will last forever.”

Ben Hall places flowers near Dolly Parton's plaque at the Country Music Hall of Fame on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, in Nashville. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

FILE - Singers Linda Ronstadt, from left, Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris pose in New York on Feb. 11, 1999. (AP Photo/Jim Cooper, File)

FILE - Dolly Parton speaks to a audience gathered to celebrate the expansion of the Imagination Library of Kentucky at the Lyric Theatre in Lexington, Ky., on Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File)

FILE - Dolly Parton, left, and Miley Cyrus perform "Jolene" at the 61st annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 10, 2019. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Dolly Parton performs at a United Way of America convention in Detroit, Friday, May 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Two unvaccinated Pennsylvania residents have died after being infected with measles, the first U.S. deaths this year related to the contagious virus.

State health officials announced the deaths Tuesday. They did not reveal any details about the people who died, other than that they lived in Lancaster County, west of Philadelphia.

“My deepest sympathies are with the loved ones who are facing this unimaginable loss,” said state Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen. “Because measles was largely eliminated in the Commonwealth for more than three decades, people are not familiar with this disease and don’t fully understand the potential severity of the illness."

The U.S. has now seen five measles-associated deaths in the last two years — more than the combined total of reported deaths over the previous three decades — and is enduring its worst year for measles since 1991.

With 2,777 cases as of Thursday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this year already has surpassed 2025's measles count.

In November, international health officials will meet to determine if the U.S. and Mexico have lost their measles-free status. The U.S. eliminated local measles spread in 2000 by maintaining high vaccination rates, which have fallen in recent years to below the 95% coverage needed to prevent outbreaks.

The measles surge has coincided with moves by President Donald Trump's administration to scale back childhood vaccinations, based on concerns — unfounded, according to scientific studies — about vaccine safety.

Trump earlier this month signed an executive order calling for revamped childhood vaccine recommendations. He also advocated separating the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three different shots, and administering all childhood immunizations at separate appointments whenever possible.

Doctors have raised concerns that Trump and U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are stoking confusion and hesitancy.

In a media briefing Tuesday, Gov. Josh Shapiro said he had spoken with Kennedy, who offered the assistance of federal health staffers. Shapiro declined the offer, saying Pennsylvania's health department was able to handle the current situation.

“I was very, very blunt with him," Shapiro said. "I made very clear that his actions and the rhetoric that’s coming from this administration are having a negative impact on communities across America, particularly right here in Pennsylvania.”

He added: "There’s real-life consequences to scaring people and not relying on actual doctors and actual medical professionals to provide unbiased information to parents so that we can make reasonable decisions for our kids."

Federal health officials did not comment on Shapiro's account, but they issued a statement extending condolences to the families and affected communities.

“The MMR vaccine provides the most effective protection against measles and helps prevent its spread,” the statement said, adding that federal health officials will continue to support Pennsylvania’s response.

Decades of widespread vaccinations turned measles cases and deaths into a rarity, causing people to forget that the very contagious virus can be deadly, said Dr. David Margolius, director of Cleveland’s health department and a leader in a coalition of big city health departments.

He said that some Cleveland residents have expressed irritation with vaccine-promotion campaigns.

“They say, ‘Oh, that’s not a big deal. I mean, do people even die from measles? And, you know, why do you care so much? Why do you keep calling me about this?’” he recounted.

Margolius said the Trump administration has reacted to outbreaks with offers of assistance.

“But the time to prevent measles is before the outbreaks happen," he said. "And the way to do that is clear and consistent and very visible messaging" about the importance of vaccinations.

The overall U.S. kindergarten vaccination rate inched down last year and the share of children with exemptions rose to an all-time high, according to federal data posted last week.

Lancaster County is known as the heart of Pennsylvania's Amish community, a religious group that is sometimes reluctant to embrace modern medical interventions such as vaccines. About 88% of kindergartners in the county were up to date on their measles vaccines during the last school year, according to state data.

Pennsylvania has counted nearly 400 measles cases this year, state officials said.

The state has been promoting measles vaccinations as cases have risen, and about 35,000 people have been vaccinated, up from the usual pace of about 25,000 per month, officials said.

Stobbe reported from New York.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

FILE - Dr. Jessica Early holds a vial of the combination measles, mumps and rubella vaccine at Prisma Health Pediatrics in Greer, S.C., March 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mary Conlon, File)

FILE - This undated image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Feb. 4, 2015, shows an electron microscope image of a measles virus particle. (Cynthia Goldsmith/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, via AP, File)