Richard E. Aaron/Redferns/Getty Images
Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80. The artist's death was confirmed in a statement from her representatives, as well as in a video posted to social media from her nephew Bryan Seaver. "A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family," reads the statement, which notes that Parton "died peacefully" in Nashville, Tenn., on Aug. 25, 2026.
ON DEMAND
VIDEO
Billy Bob Thornton and J.D. Andrew of The Boxmasters joined host Jessie Scott to perform and discuss songs from their decades-spanning discography. Watch the full performance and interview here.
NPR TOP STORIES
-
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. -
The Trump administration claimed to have found 250,000 noncitizens on the voter rolls in four states. But the agency's communications with states since then indicate that data was preliminary. -
The measures come after President Trump imposed 50% tariffs on many Canadian goods and threatened more after trade talks broke down on Friday. -
The world largely moved on from the Rohingya crisis. But the exodus has not stopped, aid is shrinking and a generation of refugees is growing up with little prospect of going home.
Sign up for our weekly newsletter, featuring music news, contests and our concert calendar.
WMOT's video archive is now on YouTube. Click here to subscribe.
Click here to view the latest ticket giveaways.