• Faith: Christian
• Career: Musician
• Birthday:  January 19, 1946
• Date of Death:  August 25, 2026

Dolly Parton was an American singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman and philanthropist whose career spanned more than six decades. One of the most recognizable figures in country music, she was known for songs including “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You.” Parton also built a successful career in film and business while becoming widely known for her philanthropy and outspoken Christian faith.

Dolly Rebecca Parton was born on January 19, 1946, in Sevier County, Tennessee, and grew up in Locust Ridge near the Great Smoky Mountains. She was the fourth of 12 children born to Robert Lee Parton Sr. and Avie Lee Owens Parton. The family had little money, and Parton frequently drew on her Appalachian childhood in her later songwriting. Music was part of family life, and she began singing publicly as a child, including performances at her grandfather’s church. Her uncle, Bill Owens, helped her pursue opportunities in the music industry.

Parton performed on local radio and television programs while still young, including “The Cas Walker Farm and Home Hour.” After graduating from high school in 1964, she moved to Nashville to pursue music professionally. Her breakthrough came after she joined “The Porter Wagoner Show” in 1967. Her partnership with Wagoner introduced her to a national country audience, and the pair recorded a series of successful duets.

Parton eventually left Wagoner’s show to establish herself as a solo artist. She wrote “I Will Always Love You” about their professional separation, and the song became a No. 1 country hit in 1974. Whitney Houston later recorded a hugely successful version for the 1992 film “The Bodyguard.” Parton’s other signature songs included “Jolene,” “Here You Come Again,” “Two Doors Down” and “9 to 5.” Her ability to blend country music with pop helped her reach audiences far beyond Nashville.

Parton also became a successful actress. She starred alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in the 1980 comedy “9 to 5,” earning acclaim for her performance and an Academy Award nomination for the film’s title song. Her other notable films included “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” “Steel Magnolias” and “Straight Talk.” Over her career, Parton earned 11 Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Outside entertainment, Parton became a prominent businesswoman and philanthropist. Dollywood, the theme park bearing her name in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, became one of the region’s leading attractions. In 1995, she founded Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a literacy program that provides free books to young children. The program eventually expanded internationally and distributed hundreds of millions of books.

Parton married Carl Thomas Dean on May 30, 1966, after meeting him in Nashville two years earlier. Dean largely avoided public attention while Parton became an international celebrity. The couple did not have children and remained married until Dean’s death on March 3, 2025, at age 82. Parton later spoke about the deep grief she experienced following the loss of her husband of nearly 59 years.

Parton died on August 25, 2026, at age 80. Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, announced her death on behalf of the Parton and Owens families. Parton had experienced health challenges during the final year of her life and had reduced her public appearances, although she continued working on creative and business projects. Her death brought tributes to a career that made her one of the most influential and successful artists in country music history.

Dolly Parton's Religious Beliefs

Parton was a Christian who frequently spoke publicly about her faith in Jesus Christ. She was raised in a deeply religious family in Tennessee, and her maternal grandfather, the Rev. Jake Owens, was a Pentecostal preacher. Parton attended church, sang gospel music and absorbed the hymns and biblical teachings that surrounded her from childhood. She later recalled growing up knowing that Jesus loved her and believing that through God all things were possible.

Her faith remained an important part of her adult life and career. Parton said she prayed daily and asked God to guide her decisions, bring the right people into her life and help her use her work to uplift others. She viewed her talents, career and influence as blessings that carried a responsibility to help people.

Christian themes also appeared throughout Parton’s music. She recorded numerous gospel and faith-inspired songs and albums over the decades. In 2020, her collaboration with Christian singer Zach Williams, “There Was Jesus,” reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Christian Airplay and Christian AC charts and later won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song. Parton consistently described faith as a source of strength and purpose, saying that her relationship with God was central to who she was and what kept her moving forward.