Dolly Parton's Cause of Death Revealed; More on Her Inspirational Life (Videos)

Benjamin Gill : Aug 26, 2026
CBN News

"...But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly. Dolly has lived in the Light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents, and countless others who have watched her and longed to meet her in the heavens." -Dolly's nephew, Bryan Seaver

[CBN News] Country music legend Dolly Parton, an iconic songwriter, singer, and actor, has died at 80. (Screengrab image: via CBN News)

Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, made the announcement on Instagram on behalf of the family, saying:

"This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality. As her head of security for more than two decades, a role my father Larry held before me, I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven't truly felt it until now."

"It is an honor, an honor that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness. But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly. Dolly has lived in the Light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents, and countless others who have watched her and longed to meet her in the heavens."

Her family revealed she died after a brief battle with cancer. Dolly had acknowledged her health decline in a recent post on social media, and her sister Freida Parton had requested prayers for Dolly's health last year, just a week after the iconic singer announced she was postponing her Las Vegas residency due to health challenges. 

"I was up all night praying for my sister, Dolly," Frieda wrote in her original Facebook post. "Many of you know she hasn't been feeling her best lately."

OCTOBER 2025: Dolly Parton's Sister Gives Update on Country Music Legend's Health: 'I Was Up All Night Praying'

Before that, Dolly had announced she was putting her career on hold.

"While I'll still be able to work on all of my projects from here in Nashville, I just need a little time to get show-ready, as they say," she said. "And don't worry about me quittin' the business because God hasn't said anything about stopping yet."

The singer-songwriter told fans that she was just following the Lord's lead in getting some rest.

JULY 2025: Dolly Parton Announces She's Putting Music Career on Hold

Dolly's health began to decline when her husband, Carl, passed away in March 2025 after they were married for nearly 60 years. She later reflected that her steadfast faith in God and the promise of seeing her husband in Heaven sustained her as she was enduring one of the biggest changes in her life.

"I am a person of faith, and I truly believe that I'm going to see him again someday. And I see him every day in my memories and in my heart, and in all the things that we used to do and all the things that we've built together," said Parton. "You just kind of have to learn to kind of make new plans—but that's the hardest part."

JUNE 2025: Dolly Parton Holds to the Hope of Heaven After Husband's Death: 'I'm Going to See Him Again Someday'

Known for her poignant songwriting and her rise from poverty, living in a log cabin in the Tennessee mountains, to the height of stardom, Parton's faith in Christ was central to her life. She even won a Grammy in 2021 for her duet with Christian singer Zach Williams on his song, "There Was Jesus."

Dolly's first musical performances as a child were in church, where her grandfather was a preacher. By age 10, she was learning guitar and singing on local television shows. At 13, she appeared on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, where Johnny Cash introduced her as "a little girl here from up in East Tennessee."

She wrote hundreds of songs throughout her career, including classics like "Jolene," "Coat of Many Colors" and "I Will Always Love You," that totaled more than 100 million worldwide sales and more than 1 billion online streams. Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

Dolly, who plucked bejeweled banjos, guitars, and dulcimers with her long fingernails, was a generous philanthropist and successful businesswoman whose projects included a theme park in the Smoky Mountain foothills near her birthplace.

WATCH the CBN News Interview with Dolly from 2016

MARCH 2025: Dolly Parton's Tender Farewell to the Love of Her Life: 'He Is in God's Arms Now'

Benjamin Gill manages CBNNews.com and the CBN News app while also curating social media material.