Dolly Parton has died at 80. Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, announced the news on Instagram with a video posted to Parton’s account. “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,” he said. “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 til now.”
One of the most beloved country artists of all time, Parton was best known for making hits like “Jolene” and “9 to 5,” and for writing “I Will Always Love You.” Her career spanned six decades, and included 49 studio albums, 11 Grammy Awards, and an induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999, among numerous other accolades. Known for her sky-high blonde wigs, her winky sense of humor about her extensive cosmetic surgery, and over-the-top wardrobe of denim and rhinestones, Parton famously often joked that it took “a lot of money to look this cheap.”
Before she became the Queen of Country, Parton was born in the mountains of eastern Tennessee on January 19, 1946. She grew up in a two-room log cabin with 11 siblings, the daughter of a tobacco farmer and a homemaker. She began performing at age 6 at the Pentecostal church where her grandfather served as pastor, and began playing guitar at age 7. By the time she was 10, she was performing on local TV and radio, and at 13, she played at the Grand Ole Opry, where she was introduced by Johnny Cash.
