Following the news of Dolly Parton‘s death, celebrities everywhere are paying tribute to the global icon.
Parton, known for hit songs like “Jolene,” “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You,” and her roles in films such as Steel Magnolias and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, died peacefully in Nashville on Tuesday, a rep announced. She was 80. One of her nephews, Bryan Seaver, recorded a video at her request to announce the tragic news.
“This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality,” he said. “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.”
Parton’s death comes after it was revealed in September that she would postpone a set of Las Vegas concerts due to “some health challenges.” The Hollywood Reporter later reported that Parton would miss the Governors Awards, where she was to receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in November. Parton also canceled scheduled Las Vegas residency dates for September in May.
And in recent months, Parton publicly addressed her health issues to her fans, telling them she was OK.
