The American singer, writer, and philanthropist Dolly Parton (1946, Tennessee), the queen of country music with a career spanning more than six decades and a woman revered in her homeland, passed away today, August 25, at the age of 80.
The author of ‘9 to 5’ and ‘Jolene’ postponed six concerts she had scheduled in Las Vegas last year and also did not attend to receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, given by the Hollywood Academy with an Oscar.
Two days ago, the singer shared on her social media a version of ‘Light of a Clear Blue Morning’ alongside Lainey Wilson, Miley Cyrus (her goddaughter), Queen Latifah, and Reba McEntire to raise funds.
“I wrote this song during a time when I was seeking hope, and fifty years later, that message remains just as true. As I celebrate my 80th birthday, this new version is my way of using what I have received to light the future, especially by sharing it with truly amazing women,” she said at the time.
The net proceeds from the recording will be donated to pediatric cancer research at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, in Nashville.
Concern about the singer’s health intensified last year. In October, Parton posted a video on her social media to reassure her followers about her health status, after her sister Freida asked people to pray for her.
“I’m not dead yet!” she said in the video, in which the songwriter appeared on a film set. “Everyone thinks I’m sicker than I am. Do I look sick to you? I’m working hard!” she affirmed.
The death of Dolly Parton was confirmed by her nephew Bryan Seaver in a video posted on his social media.
“As her head of security for more than two decades, a position my father held before me, I have imagined the weight of this moment, but I hadn’t truly felt it until now. It is an honor, an honor accompanied by absolute pride and great sadness. But the sadness is with us, not with Dolly. Dolly lived in the light and now she is in the arms of Jesus, surely welcomed by her parents and so many others who watched her and longed for the day she would be reunited with them in heaven,” he said in the message.
He added: “Dolly opened doors not only for me but for my entire family, so that we could reach a potential we didn’t even know was possible. Dolly also opened doors for generations of singers, songwriters, musicians, and dreamers from all walks of life and all continents. Through her example, we believed anything was possible.”
He also recalled her influence in the music industry. “She has always been on their TVs, in their record players, on their CDs, and in the playlists on their phones, becoming a part of their families, whether they liked it or not. Our family and the team to whom she entrusted her legacy will work diligently to ensure that her spirit lives with us forever. Rest in peace, Aunt Dolly. She will always love you,” he concluded.