Dolly Parton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Tributes Continue

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Country music star Dolly Parton died at 80 in Nashville, Tennessee on Tuesday after a short fight with cancer, her team said.

Her team told People that Dolly spent her life bringing joy, hope and honesty to everything she did. She gave help to many people she never even met.

She gave millions of books through the Imagination Library and helped fund research that made a life‑saving vaccine used worldwide, showing her love for everyone.

After a brave short fight with cancer, Dolly left this world at Vanderbilt‑Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by family.

The exact type of cancer Dolly had was not shared.

Dolly was in the hospital on Friday with kidney and autoimmune problems, a representative said earlier.

Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, announced her death in a video.

I am speaking for the Parton and Owens family, saying my Aunt Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean has passed. She was a sister, aunt and grandma to one generation and a great‑grandma to the next. Dolly asked me to make this video years ago, before I truly understood it,

I have been head of security for over twenty years, a job my father Larry did before me. I imagined this heavy moment but felt it fully only now. It is an honor mixed with great pride and deep sadness. The sadness belongs to us, not to Dolly.

Seaver said Dolly lived “in the light” and is now “in the arms of Jesus, surely meeting Carl, her parents and many others who watched her and hoped to meet her in heaven.”

Our family and the team she trusted will work hard to keep her spirit alive forever, Seaver added.

Dolly called me and said she wants to rest on a soft cotton bed because after a life of heavy rhinestones she finally deserves comfort and rest. “Rest in peace, Aunt Dolly,” he said.

On Friday, a few days before she died, Dolly talked about her recent health problems with People.

I think because we live in a 24/7 world with social media, everything gets bigger than before. I used to joke I was the Queen of the Tabloids, but now I think I am the Queen of Social Media AI! Seriously, even though I am still healing, I am still working! You know me – I have dreamed myself into a corner and still have many goals, so I will keep working as long as I can to see them happen.

The sudden news of Dolly’s death shocked people worldwide.

Fans of the country star visited Dolly’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star in Los Angeles on Tuesday and left flowers and heartfelt notes.

Fans also placed flowers near a mural of Dolly in Nashville on Tuesday.

A makeshift memorial for Dolly was also seen outside her home in Brentwood, Tennessee.

A bronze statue of Dolly was surrounded by flowers and balloons outside the Sevier County Courthouse in her hometown of Sevierville, Tennessee.

The Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge was lit in pink lights to honor Dolly on Tuesday night in Nashville.

The Empire State Building also glowed pink to honor Dolly’s life and legacy on Tuesday night in New York.

In the U.K., crowds watched members of the Coldstream Guards and Welsh Guards play a tribute to Dolly during the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday.

Many celebrities posted condolences on social media after news of Dolly’s death spread.

Miley Cyrus, Dolly’s goddaughter, posted on Instagram, “Losing my Aunt Dolly feels beyond words. Our most private moments stay behind the stage, away from the glamour, in our hearts.”

“What I KNOW is Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it, and stay strong. I have an angel by my side. One of our last talks was about music and change,” she wrote. “I will always love her and want to make her proud.”

“My heart hurts for the world, her family and friends who will miss her. We share this loss and will see her in all beautiful things,” Miley added.

Miley’s father, Billy Ray Cyrus, wrote on Instagram, “I have many memories with Dolly, it’s hard to start. Like every boy, I grew up loving Dolly Parton. She was in our TV rooms and lives.”

“In 1992, I walked into her dressing room to apologize for tabloid stories that said I was having an affair with her. Dolly just winked and said, ‘Honey, this trash sells records!’”

“Dolly recently sent me a beautiful message, saying she loved me with all her heart. I will always love her the same way… with my whole heart… and always will.”

Céline Dion said Dolly was “pure light, with a kind heart and a generous spirit.”

“We will miss one of the most joyful voices ever. Thank you for the music, laughter and love you gave us. We will always love you,” Dion added.

Taylor Swift said “a world without Dolly doesn’t feel real or right” in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter.

“Because of her endless generosity and the many lives she changed, her legacy will last forever,” Swift added.

“She was truly a gift that kept giving. Dolly gave us a role model and encouraged us to be ourselves. She taught us about the world gently, honestly, and often with humor.”

“She gave the world mystery and fantasy in some parts of her life, but full honesty where it mattered. She showed grace and grit together. She had a soft heart for others’ struggles and a steel backbone to protect her own worth as an artist.”

“I am grateful for her songs that warmed cold hearts, the millions of books she gave children worldwide, and the daring paths she walked so girls like me could dream of joining the circus. Dolly, I will think of you every step of the way.”

Oprah Winfrey shared one of her favorite memories with Dolly on Instagram.

“Having fun and singing while wearing Bob Mackie gowns on her show Dolly. This girl from the Smoky Mountains dreamed big and lived even bigger, giving generously in ways we saw and didn’t. No one was like her. She brought light, and we are better because she was here,” Winfrey wrote.

Beyoncé, who re‑worked Dolly’s classic “Jolene” for her Cowboy Carter album, posted a tribute, “You taught many lessons on being uniquely yourself. I am grateful for your art, heart, generosity, humor, and entrepreneurship.”

Eminem posted a note he received from Dolly congratulating him on entering the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

“I’m sorry we never met, but getting this note from Dolly meant a lot. She didn’t have to take the time, but she did. Even as a rap fan, I see her as an icon, a superstar in every sense. Rest easy Dolly, and thank you for the kind words.”

— Marshall Mathers (@Eminem) August 25, 2026

Jane Fonda said she was “devastated” after learning Dolly “has moved on.”

“Millions are mourning and I want to say – more than anyone I have known, Dolly will always be with us because she was so present, powerful, generous and playful that she is woven into all our lives and hearts forever,” Fonda added.

Pop star Sabrina Carpenter said the only thing she could say after meeting Dolly was “she really is an angel walking the earth” and “we look like we could be sisters!”

“I will cherish our laughter and talks and keep your wisdom, playful outlook, and perfect humor in my pocket for rainy days. There will never be another you, and we are lucky to have experienced your unique magic, voice, songs, and heart,” Carpenter wrote. “Your light will be something the world will search for forever.”

Paul McCartney posted a tribute on Instagram, “The magnificent star Dolly Parton has died and it is so sad. She was a wonderful woman. I first met her at the Grand Ole Opry where she played with Porter Wagoner and was about to start her solo career.”

“She was bubbly and full of life; it is hard to accept she has passed. Her songwriting, singing and charity work were unmatched in country music, and it is hard to imagine a world without Dolly,” he added.

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