Dolly Parton battled cancer before her death
Dolly Parton had a brief battle with cancer before she died, as confirmed by her team.
The country music legend's nephew, Bryan Seaver, announced her death in a video message on Aug. 25. She was 80 years old.
In a statement shared by PEOPLE, Parton's representatives revealed that she passed away at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones "after bravely facing a brief battle with cancer." The type of cancer she had was not specified.
Parton had been open about her health problems before her passing.
“As I've shared in video messages throughout the past year, I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn't pay attention to when I was watching over Carl,” she said in an Aug. 21 interview with PEOPLE, referring to her late husband, Carl Dean, who died in March 2025.
Despite her health struggles, Parton said she put her focus on her work and future projects.
“But I think because we live in a 24/7 world with social media, everything gets magnified in ways it wasn't years ago,” she said. “Seriously, though, even though I'm still healin', I'm still workin'!”
Parton added that she still had projects she wanted to complete. “I've dreamed myself into a corner, and I still have so many things I want to achieve, so I'm gonna keep on working as long as I can to see everything come to life.”
In September 2025, per TMZ, Parton revealed that a kidney stone had caused an infection. She later announced on X she was postponing her Las Vegas concerts due to health issues.
Parton was one of country music’s most influential figures, with a career spanning more than six decades. She rose to fame with hits including Jolene, 9 to 5, and I Will Always Love You, while also building a successful career as an actress, songwriter, and producer.
