Country music legend Dolly Parton, who rose from a humble Tennessee log cabin to global stardom through her distinct vibrato, evocative songwriting, and memorable costumes, has died at the age of 80.Parton died peacefully on Tuesday in Nashville, Tennessee, according to a statement from her publicist. No cause of death has been released.Celebrated for her curvy physique, massive blonde wigs, and sharp, self-deprecating humor, she was among the most beloved personalities in music and beyond—a rare figure whose appeal crossed political, geographical, and generational divides.Over her career, Parton authored hundreds of tracks, including famed hits such as "Jolene," "Coat of Many Colors" and "I Will Always Love You," generating over 100 million sales globally and more than 1 billion online streams. An accomplished businesswoman and generous philanthropist, she plucked bejeweled banjos, guitars, and dulcimers onstage with her long fingernails, and launched a theme park in the Smoky Mountain foothills near her birthplace.The Queen of Country, who has died aged 80, was instantly recognizable but unquestionably one of a kind (Getty Images)Parton’s life and career remained deeply rooted in her background as one of 12 children born into a family she described as "dirt poor." Driven by her father’s struggles to learn to read after leaving school to work on the farm, she established the educational nonprofit Imagination Library to deliver free books to children in Tennessee.The Associated Press spoke with Parton numerous times throughout her career. Here are some of her quotes from the archives, as compiled by AP Music Writer Maria Sherman. July 1979, on going to Hollywood for “9 to 5”“I never thought of myself as a movie star. I knew I’d be a star, but as a singer or as a writer of songs or books or poetry. I wanted to be a famous performer and wear flashy clothes, but singing in movies was not one of my ambitions. My family lived in the mountains and we didn’t see movies."“I can’t act a part, but if they allow me to be myself, then I can handle it. If they find me a story that allows me to be me, then I’m interested; if they don’t, I’m not.” October 1979, on kissing President Jimmy Carter at the White House“My husband wants a picture of this, too.” December 1980, reviewing her performance in “9 to 5”“In places I was real good. In places I was real average and in others I was … (sticking out her tongue). All in all, for the first time out, I was proud of it.”Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon MusicSign up now for a 30-day free trial. Terms apply.Try for freeADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. December 1981, on set of “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”“I’ll admit I had some misgivings about the title of the movie. After all, my granddaddy was a preacher, and I’m a spiritual person myself. I didn’t want to do anything that might be considered offensive. Then I saw the play and I realized it was just a foot-stompin’ good time.”July 1985, on opening Dollywood“It’s something I want to take pride in, to preserve the Smoky Mountain heritage rather than have Hollywood portray us as they often do.”May 1992, on husband Carl Dean and happiness“It was love at first sight. I see people who turn my head all the time. It’s just that nobody’s turned my head around as much as him.”March 1999, on singing with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt“We do love to sing. Your whole life you wait to find those compatible voices. It’s like making love. ... I get off on it. I do. I get so thrilled. When it buzzes, it is good. It’s just like sex in that way. Don’t fight it.”August 2002, on Elvis’ legacy in eastern Tennessee “I don’t think he will ever die down. He’s considered by many to be like a religious figure, like Jesus. … I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s there, and it’s real, and people love it.”April 2004, on never retiring“I’ll be like Bob Hope, touring when I’m 100. I love being busy. ... I will never retire. I hope to fall dead in the middle of some great event or some great song I’m singing. Then they’ll say, ‘Oh well, she went happy and doing what she loves.’”Dolly Parton performs at MTV Networks UpFront at The Theater at Madison Square Garden May 5, 2004 in New York City (Getty Images)April 2004, on her award show performance after Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake's Super Bowl show“There’s not going to be no wardrobe malfunction this evening. There’s not supposed to be, it’s not planned. But as tight as my clothes are there’s no telling what will happen. If it does happen, I’m going to wipe out the first three rows.”March 2008, about starting her own label, Dolly Records“I’m looking at it like an investment. I thought, ‘I’ve made enough money. I can afford to invest a little in myself.’”May 2009, on receiving her honorary doctorate“Just think, I am Dr. Dolly! So when people say something about ‘Double-D,’ they will be thinking of something entirely different.”April 2010, on 25 years of Dollywood“I always thought that if I made it big or got successful at what I had started out to do, that I wanted to come back to my part of the country and do something great, something that would bring a lot of jobs into this area. Sure enough, I was lucky, and God was good to me and things happened good.”Dolly Parton takes questions from the fans and press during Dolly Parton's Trinkets & Treasures grand opening at Dolly Parton's Trinkets & Treasures on March 12, 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee (Getty Images)July 2010, on Miley Cyrus “I’m her fairy godmother. … I’m just real proud of her. She does not need my advice, but she’s often asking for information and advice, and I tell her what I know, but I think the girl’s doing all right without me.”Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus perform onstage during the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California (Getty Images for The Recording A)December 2018, on writing “I Will Always Love You”“People always tell me, ‘I thought that was Whitney’s song. I didn’t know you wrote it. I thought she wrote it.’ And I tell them, ‘She can have the credit. I’ll just take the cash.’”October 2022, on her charity work“I don’t do it for attention. But look! I’m getting a lot of attention by doing it. ... I just give from my heart. I never know what I’m going to do or why I’m gonna do it. I just see a need and if I can fill it, then I will.”November 2023, on making a rock album:“I just didn’t think that I had done enough in the rock world to be considered, to be put in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame when there were so many great rock artists that are not even in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. ... They were going to put me in anyway, so I just accepted it gracefully. But I thought, ‘Well, I’m going to have to earn my keep … I jumped on that like a duck on a June bug.’”November 2024, on her family album and legacy “My grandpa used to say, when I got famous, he said, ‘Well, she came out crying in the key of D.’ I think we all did.”“I hope that a lot of my songs may last that long. And I hope I’ll be remembered as somebody that tried to do some good in the world and left, you know, a few good things.”Dolly Parton speaks onstage during Kicking Off CMA Fest: A Special Conversation With Dolly Parton Hosted By Rachel Smith at Music City Center on June 06, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee (Getty Images)May 2025, on leaning into faith after losing husband Carl Dean and being a superstar“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. You just kind of have to learn to kind of make new plans — but that’s the hardest part.”“I don’t think about my life in terms of ‘superstar.’ I’m just a workin’ girl. I always say — and it’s the truth — that I am a workhorse that looks like a show horse. But I gotta keep it all up and I enjoy all of it. My husband always said, ‘If anybody was ever born to be a star, it’s you.’”