According to a CBS report, Dolly Parton, the legendary country music icon whose six-decade career made her one of the genre’s most successful and influential artists, has died at age 80.
Parton, whose string of hits propelled her from country music stardom to television and film fame, died after years of health challenges. Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, who served as her head of security, announced her death in a prerecorded video shared on social media.
“It is an honor, an honor that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness,” Seaver said. “But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly.” He added that Parton “has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus.”
Parton Had Faced Health Challenges
Seaver did not provide details about the cause of Parton’s death.
Concerns about the singer’s health surfaced last October when her sister, Freida Parton, asked fans on social media to pray for her. Parton later reassured fans that she was not seriously ill and said she was doing OK.
In May, however, Parton said in a social media video that she was responding well to medical treatment. She explained that she had dealt with kidney stones for years and that problems with her immune and digestive systems had become increasingly difficult in recent years.
Parton also acknowledged that she was not physically ready to perform at her usual level, leading her to cancel upcoming performances in Las Vegas.
