Jump to contentAllNewsSportCultureLifestyle(PA)Dolly Parton has died aged 80 at a hospital in Nashville following a brief battle with cancer. Audience members at Worthing Theatre in the UK gasped after being informed of Parton's death during a performance of 9 to 5 The Musical. Actor Karla Tracey announced the news from the stage before dedicating the evening's performance to the legendary musician. Tracey paid tribute to Parton's extraordinary talent, creativity, and spirit, thanking her for the music, laughter, and joy she gave to the world. Stars from Taylor Swift and Beyoncé to Eminem and Linda Ronstadt have paid tribute to Parton, describing her as “the gift that kept on giving” and saying her legacy would be “an everlasting one”.In fullAudience gasps as Dolly Parton’s death is announced on stage at 9 to 5 musicalMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

The artist was a star performer in country music, and went on to become one of the genre's most recognizable and universally adored ambassadors to broader popular culture.

Dolly Parton, the iconic singer, songwriter and philathropist who recorded such timeless hits as “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You” and starred in the classic movie comedy "9 to…