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The late Dolly Parton graced country music fans with a plethora of hits, ranging from 1977’s “Here You Come Again” to 1974’s “I Will Always Love You,” famously covered by Whitney Houston.

In a 2013 interview with 60 Minutes Australia, Parton, who died at the age of 80, discussed writing songs in her early childhood. She confirmed she penned a song she never released, titled “Life Doesn’t Mean Much to Me” at just five years old. Literary Hub reported that the tune depicted the life and death of a soldier.

During the 60 Minutes Australia interview, Parton explained that her mother, Avie Lee Owens, her aunts, and her grandmother would discuss wartime stories in front of her during her childhood in Sevier County, Tennessee.

“I would hear my mama and my aunts and my grandmother. Oh, they would just sit around and just tell these awful, god-awful tales, and then somebody that had been killed in the war, maybe a son or an uncle or, you know, a husband. I would hear all these sad stories. So, everything really registers deep in me still to this day. So I wrote this song, about, you know, ‘Life Don’t Me Much to Me,'” said Parton.

She also said she had an aptitude for rhyming that helped her with her songwriting, even when she was a child.

“I could rhyme words as long as I can remember. Mama was always fascinated how I could rhyme words. So I would just start to write something, and I could just rhyme it, and I would just put together their sentences and things I would hear them say and talk about and make a story out of it,” said the musician in the 60 Minutes Australia interview.

Literary Hub reported that Parton made similar comments about being a natural at rhyming in a separate interview.

“Since I have been able to form words, I have been able to rhyme them. I could catch on to anything that had a rhythm and make a song to go with it. I would take the two notes of a bobwhite in the darkness and make that the start of a song. I would latch on to the rhythm my mother made snapping beans, and before I knew it, I’d be tapping on a pot with a spoon and singing. I don’t know what some of this sounded like to my family, but in my head it was beautiful music,” said Parton as reported by Literary Hub.

When it comes to lore, no one can top Dolly Parton.

Along with once losing a Dolly Parton lookalike contest, funding a COVID vaccine, and saving a child actor on set, Parton was also named after the world’s first cloned sheep for the craziest reason.

Related: Dolly Parton Had Several Tattoos Fans Never Saw — Here’s Why She Had Them

In February 1997, the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, Scotland, made history when they announced they had cloned the first animal from an adult cell. Professor Ian Wilmut led the team and revealed that Dolly the Sheep was named after the country legend because she was grown from a single mammary cell.

Yes, Parton’s bosom was the inspiration for Dolly the sheep’s name.

“Dolly is derived from a mammary gland cell [of a sheep], and we couldn’t think of a more impressive pair of glands than Dolly Parton’s,” Professor Wilmut reportedly said at the time.

As expected, the “Jolene” singer was flattered by the decision, and even mourned Dolly the Sheep’s death in 2003.

“Everybody always played up to these [points to her chest], so that’s why we had Dolly the sheep,” Parton told The Guardian in 2024. “I was sorry when she died, though I don’t want be cloned myself. I want to get on out of here when I can. We already get a lot of Dolly lookalikes, a lot of Dolly drag queens. I can just send them down to the store instead of me.”

Dolly the sheep was sadly euthanized at the age of 6 due to progressive lung disease. However, her body was preserved and is on display at the National Museum of Scotland. Dolly was also cloned four times, and her “siblings” were named Daisy, Debbie, Dianna, and Denise.

Sadly, Parton passed away at the age of 80 on August 25, 2026, but she will always be remembered for her incredible life, which included a cloned sheep.

Barbara Mandrell is among the latest members of the country music community to pay tribute to the late Dolly Parton.

Following the news of Parton’s death at the age of 80 on Tuesday, Aug. 25, Mandrell took to social media to honor the life and legacy of the “9 to 5” songstress, with whom she had been friends for more than five decades.

On Tuesday afternoon, Mandrell, 77, shared an Instagram post with a black-and-white photo of her and Dolly during presenting an award together during the 14th annual CMA Awards show, which took place at the Grand Ole Opry House on Oct. 13, 1980. The throwback picture shows the pair reacting after revealing George Jones as the winner in the Male Vocalist of the Year category.

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In her caption, Mandrell wrote, “Dolly was truly one of a kind. God blessed her with an extraordinary gift, but as remarkable as her talent was, her heart was even greater. I will always treasure her friendship, her laughter and the wonderful memories we shared through the years.”

Parton and Mandrell became friends early on in their careers, and notably crossed paths in the ’70s when they were photographed together at the Country Music Hall of Fame Walkway of Stars ceremony in April 1972. Parton also appeared more than once on Mandrell’s variety show, Barbara Mandrell & the Mandrell Sisters, which ran for two seasons in the early ’80s.

“She brought so much joy to this world, and I know her music, her kindness and her faith will continue to touch lives for generations,” Mandrell continued in her post on Tuesday, before concluding, “My prayers are with her family and all who loved her. I will always love you, @dollyparton.”

Dolly Parton’s Cause of Death: What We Know So Far

Related: Kelly Clarkson’s Show Makes Eerie Post Hours Ahead of Dolly Parton Death News

Five days before her death, Dolly Parton was admitted to a Nashville hospital as the health problems that had increasingly limited her public schedule continued. The country music icon died Tuesday, August 25, at age 80. Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, announced her death in a video shared through Parton’s Instagram account. Her official cause of death has not been disclosed.

TMZ reported on Tuesday, August 25, citing that Parton entered Vanderbilt University Medical Center on Thursday night, August 20.

The outlet stated that the country music legend said she was dealing with “kidney and autoimmune issues” and died at the hospital Tuesday morning.

The report did not identify a specific autoimmune condition or provide further information about the severity of her kidney problems. Parton’s family has not said whether either issue caused or contributed to her death.

Parton spoke with People on Friday, August 21, one day after her reported admission. She acknowledged that she had not given enough attention to her own health while caring for her husband, Carl Dean. “I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl,” she said.

Dean died in March 2025 at age 82 after nearly 59 years of marriage. Parton also told the outlet that she had endured difficult health periods before, including gynecological problems that kept her away from work for several months during the early 1980s.

Despite her condition, she continued discussing plans for a Nashville museum, hotel and other business ventures.

Parton withdrew from a Dollywood event on Friday, August 14, after her doctor instructed her not to travel from Nashville to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. “Sometimes I get a little dizzy, and I get dehydrated,” she explained in a recorded message, according to ABC News. Parton later relayed her doctor’s instructions: “And so my Nashville doctor clipped my wings, saying you ain’t traveling this week.”

The cancellation followed months of health setbacks. Parton missed another Dollywood event in September 2025 after a kidney stone led to an infection.

She subsequently postponed a Las Vegas residency and canceled it in May 2026.

In that May update, Parton said recurring kidney stones and problems involving her immune and digestive systems had required medication and treatment. She did not publicly disclose an autoimmune diagnosis.

Seaver, who served as Parton’s head of security for more than two decades, delivered the news at her request. He said she had asked him years earlier to make the announcement when the time came.

The 11-time Grammy winner leaves a legacy spanning music, film, business and philanthropy. Her defining songs include “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You.” She also starred in 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias, helped develop Dollywood, and founded the Imagination Library.

Her family has asked for donations to the children’s literacy program instead of flowers.

Inter Arma has some exciting news for their longtime fans.

The extreme metal band shared on Instagram on Tuesday morning that they will be embarking on multiple shows across the East Coast of the United States this October to celebrate 20 years as a band. The 20th anniversary shows kick off in Atlanta on Oct. 8 and will conclude on Oct. 16 in Philadelphia. In between, they are set to stop in Asheville and Chapel Hill, North Carolina; their hometown of Richmond, VA; Baltimore; Buffalo; Worchester and New York City. The run also marks exactly 900 shows since their first performance in Richmond.

Bands Antichrist Siege Machine and Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean will join them as supporting acts on select dates.

“Twenty years of Inter Arma,” the band wrote as their caption. “Come join us for a special set of material from the last two decades.”

Since their formation 20 years ago, Inter Arma has resisted being categorized into one genre. The group has released a total of five studio albums and multiple EPs with original music, with their most recent being New Heaven in 2024. To celebrate this milestone and their impact in the metal scene, Inter Arma will be performing a mix of old and new songs for their fans around the country this fall.

“Inter Arma played our first show in a grimy basement in Richmond, VA, on October 12th, 2006,” vocalist Mike Paparo said in a press release. “We’ll be playing material from across our discography for this brief run, including dusting off some rockers that haven’t been heard in well over a decade. These will be our final shows for the foreseeable future before we retreat back to our dingy practice space to finish album number six. We hope to see you there.”

“Touring is awesome, we love it and we wouldn’t want to do anything else,” guitarist Trey Dalton told Doomed and Stoned while the band was on tour in 2018. “It is also very boring, more often than not — lots of waiting — but it still rules. Playing shows is awesome and interacting with people that you don’t know or wouldn’t know otherwise is great.”

Inter Arma’s current lineup includes Paparo, Dalton, Steven Russell, Joel Moore and TJ Childers. Tickets can be purchased on the band’s official website.

Related: ’90s Rock Band Skillet Announces Update on 20th Anniversary Tour

In 1984, Foreigner recorded the song that would become the band’s biggest hit, but one of its most recognizable elements wasn’t part of the original plan.

“I Want to Know What Love Is,” released in November 1984 as the lead single from Foreigner’s fifth studio album Agent Provocateur paired Lou Gramm’s lead vocal with the soaring voices of the New Jersey Mass Choir. The power ballad eventually became Foreigner’s first and only No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

But according to Gramm, Foreigner hadn’t even considered putting a choir on the song.

In a new interview on The Jordan Edwards Show, the original Foreigner frontman revealed that the idea arrived unexpectedly while the band was finishing the track.

“We hadn’t even thought of a choir,” Gramm said.

According to Gramm, a friend of guitarist Mick Jones who worked as a record label representative for a gospel choir stopped by the studio to say hello. While there, he happened to hear Foreigner working on “I Want to Know What Love Is,” which at that point featured a rough vocal from Gramm.

“He heard that and he goes, ‘Mick,’ he says, ‘don’t finish the song,'” Gramm recalled.

The visitor told Jones he knew “the best gospel choir you’ll ever want to hear” and asked him to imagine what those voices could do to the song’s choruses.

The suggestion moved remarkably quickly from idea to reality.

“A day and a half later, he brought them in,” Gramm said.

The New Jersey Mass Choir had already been given a rough version of the song to learn before arriving at the studio. Once Foreigner played the track and the choir began singing the chorus, Gramm knew they were hearing something special.

“It sounded like church,” he recalled. “Just like church.”

The effect in the control room was immediate.

“The guys in the band were in the control room and tears started flowing down our faces uncontrollably because it was so beautiful and so touching,” Gramm said.

The moment also changed how Gramm understood the song itself.

“We hadn’t intended it to be a song like that,” he added, “but that’s the kind of song it ended up being.”

The finished recording featured the New Jersey Mass Choir alongside additional backing vocals from Dreamgirls star Jennifer Holliday, while Thompson Twins frontman Tom Bailey contributed synthesizer.

And if Foreigner had any doubts about the song’s commercial potential before the choir arrived, Gramm says they disappeared afterward.

“We certainly knew we had something before the choir, but after the choir, there was no doubt that that was going to be our first single,” he said. Even Atlantic Records personnel who heard the performance had difficulty containing their emotions, according to Gramm.

That instinct proved correct.

“I Want to Know What Love Is” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1985, knocking Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” from the top spot. It also became Foreigner’s first and only No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart and topped charts in numerous other countries. Billboard ultimately ranked it as the No. 4 Hot 100 song of 1985.

More than four decades later, the song remains inseparable from the voices that Foreigner never originally intended it to have. And for Gramm, the first time he heard them remains powerful enough to remember exactly what happened inside that control room: The band cried.

Related: 1981 Hit’s Iconic Solo Happened After 2 Foreigner Stars Found a Motown Legend Playing 2 Blocks Away at 12:30 a.m.

Dolly Parton’s name is about to take on a very different meaning.

On Aug. 25, news that the country music legend had died broke, leaving millions of fans mourning the loss of one of music’s most beloved stars. In an odd bit of irony, however, fans might see the name “Dolly” making headlines again in the coming days.

You see, “Dolly” is the next name on the list for the 2026 hurricane season—and there is a storm off the coast of Africa that could develop into Dolly, on the heels of the country music star’s death.

“Red blob alert. Decent chance this becomes a named storm down the road. Models all over the place with it, but most (not all) eventually curve it away from the US. The next name on the list is Dolly,” beloved Tampa Bay area meteorologist Denis Phillips wrote on Facebook after the news about Parton was reported.

The comments section quickly filled with posts about the Grammy winner.

“The irony of the next name being Dolly,” one person wrote.

“Well in true Dolly fashion, she will likely be one hell of a force that everyone feels,” someone else said.

“That’s crazy that it will be named Dolly after Dolly Parton passed away today,” a third comment read.

So far, there’s a greater than 60% chance that the area of concern will develop into a named storm, according to the National Weather Service. In order for a tropical cyclone to receive a name, it must reach sustained winds of at least 39 mph.

It’s hard to predict if and when we will see Tropical Storm Dolly—or potentially Hurricane Dolly—but the name is unlikely to go unnoticed given the timing of Parton’s death.

For those wondering how hurricanes get their names, there is a process. The World Meteorological Organization maintains six alphabetical lists of names for Atlantic storms, which are rotated every six years. Some names are retired and replaced when a storm is particularly deadly or destructive, out of respect for those affected.

READ NEXT: What Happened to Dolly Parton’s Husband Carl Dean and When Did He Die?

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If you’ve been looking for a stylish way to organize an ever-growing book collection, Walmart has plenty of options worth browsing. From slim bookshelves designed for small spaces to rotating bookcases with plenty of room for storage, there’s no shortage of ways to keep books well-organized. For shoppers who want something a little more eye-catching than a traditional bookcase, the retailer has one “unique” option that’s turning heads.

Right now, the Costway 10-Tier Tree Bookshelf With Drawer is just $50 at Walmart, down from $60. Its tree-inspired design features 10 tiers for holding books, framed photos, plants and other collectibles. It’s available in two colors — white and rustic brown — for the same price.

Courtesy of Walmart

The bookshelf measures 15 inches long by 8.5 inches wide by 59 inches high, giving you plenty of vertical storage in a compact design. Its distinctive shape makes it especially appealing to book lovers who want to turn their collection into part of the room’s decor.

At the bottom, a removable fabric drawer provides concealed storage for smaller belongings. Remove the drawer to turn the space into an additional open shelf for items you want to keep within easy reach. The shelf also comes with an anti-toppling kit that lets you secure the bookshelf to the wall, while anti-slip foot pads help keep it steady and protect your floors.

Related: Amazon’s Heavy-Duty $29 4-Tier Shelf Holds 800 Pounds and Easily Declutters Any Garage or Pantry 

Walmart shoppers have plenty of positive things to say about the unusual silhouette. “It’s a conversation piece,” one reviewer wrote, adding that they received “many compliments.” Another called it the “best bookshelf” they’ve ever bought, saying it was “easy to assemble and sturdy.”

A third shopper said it “holds all my books and looks great in my home office.” With its eye-catching shape and flexible storage, it’s an easy way to make a book collection feel more like part of the room.

• Costway 6-Piece Stackable Shoe Rack, $122 (was $199) at Walmart
• WQD Wide-Leg Joggers, $15 (were $25) at Walmart
• Beautiful by Drew Barrymore Stoneware Pie Dish, $10 (was $13) at Walmart

Whether you’re refreshing a reading nook, organizing a home office or filling an empty corner, Costway’s 10-Tier Tree Bookshelf With Drawer is an easy way to make your book collection more stylish. Head to Walmart to shop it while the deal lasts! 

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The legendary singer-songwriter Dolly Parton has died at 80 years old.

Just days before her death, she was admitted to the hospital on Friday, Aug. 21, according to People. Parton died there just four days later.

Her death was announced by her nephew Bryan Seaver in an Instagram video posted on Tuesday, Aug. 25, captioned, “A message from the family of Dolly Parton.”

“This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality,” he said. “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.”

The “Jolene” singer was hospitalized the same day she told People she was struggling with her health.

“As I’ve shared in video messages throughout the past year, I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl,” Parton said at the time. “You know, this isn’t the first time I’ve had to manage something like this. Back in the early ‘80s, I was down for several months with female issues, and I was struggling with my weight at the time too, so it’s not like I haven’t been through hard times with my health.”

“It’s not like I haven’t been through hard times with my health. But I think because we live in a 24/7 world with social media, everything gets magnified in ways it wasn’t years ago,” the Steel Magnolias star continued. “I used to joke that I was the Queen of the Tabloids, but now I guess I can say I’m the Queen of Social Media AI! Seriously, though, even though I’m still healin’, I’m still workin’! You know me — as I’ve often said — I’ve dreamed myself into a corner and I still have so many things I want to achieve, so I’m gonna keep on working as long as I can to see everything come to life.”

It is currently unknown why Parton was hospitalized days before her death.

More country music stars are paying homage to the woman who earned the title of “Queen of Country” throughout her six decades of success. Blake Shelton is the latest one, sharing a sweet photo of himself with Dolly Parton while on the set of The Voice.

You would think a country star like Shelton would have met the “Jolene” singer multiple times, but that simply wasn’t the case. At least, not in a meaningful way. In the Instagram post, he shared that he had “only got to spend any real time with Dolly when Gwen and I got to work with her on The Voice.”

His tribute follows the likes of Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Kelly Clarkson, and Reba McEntire. Like all of them, he has some of the sweetest things to say, making it clear that the country music icon was everything that she always appeared to be. He shared, “It was like being with the funnest, most loving, most caring and closest member of your family.”

It’s a loss that people around the world are facing, and he empathizes with fellow Dolly fans. Users took to the Instagram comments to share their thoughts and feelings, with one person saying, “Yes Blake she was an icon and will be missed for sure!❤️”

While many responded with just heart and broken-heart emojis, another user shared, “I can’t wrap my brain around this…so devastating.”

A third followed with: “This is a big loss she was. I’m very sad.💔 you guys were lucky that you got to meet her.♥️”

The “9-to-5” singer passed away on Aug. 25 at the age of 80, shocking the entire world, even with her ongoing health problems. While many had feared for her health last year after she postponed and then canceled her Las Vegas residency, she made it clear that she was still kicking. Parton had shared just recently that her health had declined since the passing of her husband, Colin Dean, but she made it clear that she still had “many things I want to achieve.”

So far, no official cause of death has been given, but her family stated that she passed away peacefully. Our hearts are heavy with this loss.

Dolly Parton celebrated her 80th birthday just six months before she passed away on August 25, 2026.

To commemorate the milestone, Parton did what she did best: recorded a song. But not just any song. Parton re-recorded her 1977 classic “Light of a Clear Blue Morning,” which also happened to be celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Related: Dolly Parton Had Several Tattoos Fans Never Saw — Here’s Why She Had Them

Parton was also joined by four of her famous friends on the record — Lainey Wilson, Reba McEntire, Queen Latifah, and her goddaughter, Miley Cyrus. David Foster also accompanied the music legends on the piano.

A lifelong philanthropist, Parton made sure the proceeds from the song went to a good cause.

 “I hope this song brings you lots of love & light,” Parton wrote before adding, “All net proceeds from this recording and music video will benefit pediatric cancer research at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn.”

“Light of a Clear Blue Morning” first appeared on her 1977 album “New Harvest… First Gathering,” and peaked at No. 11 on the U.S. country charts. Parton went on to re-record the song for her 1992 movie, Straight Talk, and again in 2023 for her album, “For God and Country.”

Clearly, the song was one of Parton’s favorites, and Rolling Stone ranked it as Parton’s fourth-best song, right behind “I Will Always Love You,” Coat of Many Colors, and “Jolene.”

“I wrote ‘Light of a Clear Blue Morning’ during a season when I was searching for hope, and 50 years later that message still feels just as true,” Parton said in a statement in January 2026. “As I celebrate my 80th birthday, this new version is my way of using what I’ve been blessed with to shine a little light forward, especially by sharing it with some truly incredible women.”

Now, following her death, the song’s lyrics have taken on a deeper meaning for her fans.

Hours before news broke of Dolly Parton‘s death, the Instagram page for Kelly Clarkson‘s talk show shared an eerie throwback video featuring the country music legend.

On Tuesday, Aug. 25, the Kelly Clarkson Show official Instagram account posted a video of Clarkson and Parton singing together on the show back in 2022, where they performed a duet of “I Will Always Love You.” The video was posted as part of an ongoing series celebrating the “Best of Kelly” moments from her talk show, which is slated to end this fall following its seventh season.

But the timing of the post appears to be an uncanny coincidence, as the news of Parton’s death wasn’t announced until two hours later on Tuesday afternoon, with an official video statement from her nephew and security guard Bryan Seaver.

“The fact this was posted 2 hours ago today and they just announced her passing 15 minutes ago,” one commenter noted under the post, while another pointed out, “The timing of this post….”

For one fan, they were in the middle of watching the throwback clip featuring Parton when the news of her death broke. “As I was watching this clip, a news alert popped up saying she died. RIP, Dolly,” they wrote in the comments.

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Many fans were left wondering if Clarkson’s social media team heard about the news beforehand, or if the timing was simply just a coincidence. Interestingly, the caption on the post included the emoji of a smiling face with a tear (🥲), which could be interpreted a number of ways.

“Did ya’ll know something we didn’t when you posted this??” one person wanted to know, while another wondered, “Surely you guys knew?”

But it wasn’t the only post involving Parton that Clarkson’s social media team had shared recently, as a flashback video of Clarkson’s “9 to 5” cover in 2019 was also posted this week.

Related: 1992 No. 1 Hit Ranked the Greatest Dolly Parton Cover of All Time

Dolly Parton passed away on Aug. 25, 2026, at 80 years old, but her legacy will live on—and her fortune likely will, too.

The country icon leaves behind a massive catalog of music—she has more than 1,500 songs credited to her—plus an even bigger brand, with her name and likeness on everything from musical instruments to a theme park to cookware to cake mix, as well as a Broadway show and movies. There was nothing Parton couldn’t do and few things she didn’t do.

Parton didn’t just print money, however—she was as renowned for her generous spirit as she was for “Jolene,” and her net worth likely would’ve been even higher if she took after some of the less savory robber baron types we know all too well right now.

Find out Dolly Parton’s net worth at time of death and who may stand to inherit her fortune.

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Dolly Parton’s net worth at time of death was estimated at a cool $650 million.

Much of that fortune came not just from Parton’s productions as a singer and songwriter, but also from her merchandising deals, which ramped up in the last decade thanks to her close work with her longtime manager, Danny Nozell: She knew that she might want to retire someday, so she was setting herself up to do that quite comfortably with deals including a cookbook, baking mixes and cake pans, cosmetics, greeting cards, Peloton workouts, wine, wigs, clothing, home decor, dining products, pinball machines and more. (Phew!)

“You spend your whole life building your brand, and so you decide at a certain point, maybe it is time,” Parton explained to Billboard in 2020. “If I didn’t work anymore, [with] these kinds of projects, you get your royalties if your stuff does well. Danny calls it ‘mailbox money.'”

Related: Dolly Parton’s Goddaughter Miley Cyrus’ Net Worth Revealed

It’s estimated that Parton, through her Dolly Parton Foundation, Imagination Library and other initiatives, has given away more than $600 million throughout the course of her career.

Her Imagination Library donates 3.5 million books to kids in need every single month as of 2025, and she donated $1 million to development of COVID vaccines alone. She’s also given scholarships to local children in Tennessee and donated so much (at least $2 million) to the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital that they renamed it to the Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital.

Parton also was quite generous donating money after natural disasters, including $1 million to victims of Hurricane Helene alone in 2024.

Related: Dolly Parton’s New Dessert Line Is Inspired by Classic American Treats

Parton and her husband, Carl Dean, who died in March 2025 at age 82, famously chose to be child-free.

While Parton’s will hasn’t been made publicly as of this writing on the date of her death (Aug. 25, 2026), but her late husband’s will may have clues as to where her fortune may go.

Dean’s will left his estate to a trust in Parton’s name, Us Weekly reported, and left all of his personal items, rights, titles, cars, jewelry, musical instruments, equipment and entertainment industry interests to Parton. He also left a handwritten note specifying who in his family—reportedly nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews—would inherit certain items and personal effects.

Dean had five nieces and nephews on his side of the family, while Parton had 14.

In 2020, Parton told Billboard that she was working with an estate lawyer to build out a will, and her manager Nozell said they did so with her legacy in mind—which means she will likely give a lot of her money away to noble causes.

“I would not want to leave that mess to somebody else,” she said, referencing artists like Aretha Franklin and Prince, who both died without wills. “A word to all the other artists out there: If you haven’t made those provisions, do that. You don’t want to leave that mess to your family for people to have to fight over. You need to take care of that yourself, even if it’s a pain in the ass—and it is.”

Related: Your Dolly Parton Song, Based on Birth Month

The world lost an angel today.

As fans around the world process the loss of Dolly Parton, her family is revealing how they plan to say goodbye to the legendary singer, songwriter, and philanthropist.

In an Instagram post shared moments ago, Parton’s family announced plans for a small, private funeral service, following the Queen of Country Music’s death.

According to a family statement, shared by Variety, Parton died peacefully in her home in Nashville today, Aug. 25. She is survived by a seven-decade legacy that extends far beyond music and includes acting, writing, service, and countless other efforts.

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At Parton’s request, the service will be limited to immediate family only. However, the family did mention ways for fans to get involved and pay their respects. The family is encouraging fans and friends around the globe to honor Parton’s memory on social media by tagging her official account or leaving a message of kindness on her website (which has crashed since her passing).

Fans are also encouraged to make donations in her name to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, the literacy organization she founded in 1995, which provides free books to children.

In their Instagram post, the family shared a black-and-white image of the country music icon with the words, “I will always love you,” printed at the bottom, right above Parton’s “Dolly” signature. Describing their loved one as an inspiration whose “rhinestone life” shone brightly enough for the world to see, they added that her legacy of “love, compassion, and resilience” will continue through her music, service, and the generations of people she influenced.

Here is the caption in full:

“Global icon and humanitarian, Dolly Parton, known to the world as a beloved singer, songwriter, philanthropist, actress, playwright, and author died peacefully today in Nashville, Tennessee. She was 80 years old.

“Dolly is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 59 years Carl Thomas Dean (1942 – 2025), her mother Avie Lee Caroline Owens (1923 – 2003), and father, Robert Lee Parton, Sr. (1921 – 2000).

“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. Dolly Parton’s legacy is one of love, compassion, and resilience. With a seven-decade career, she inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place. Her songs will continue to resonate with people of all ages, and her philanthropic work will have a lasting impact.

“At Dolly’s request, a small, private service will be held for immediate family. Dolly’s fans and friends from around the world are encouraged to pay tribute to Dolly on social media by tagging @DollyParton or by leaving a message at www.dollyparton.com.

“In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at www.imaginationlibrary.com.”

Related: Country Music Legend Dolly Parton Dead at 80

Fans are mourning country superstar Dolly Parton, whose death at 80 was announced Aug. 25 by her nephew Bryan Seaver. Along with her dozens of country hits, Parton’s influence and musical reach crossed over into the pop and rock world.

Most famously, Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” her 1973 farewell to her musical partner and mentor Porter Wagoner, became even a bigger hit when it was covered by Whitney Houston for the soundtrack of the 1992 film The Bodyguard. The single topped Billboard’s Hot 100 for 14 weeks.

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Aside from the country and pop blockbusters, Parton’s music also crossed over to the rock world.

In 2004, the White Stripes released a single of their live version of the Parton classic “Jolene.” It became an international hit reaching No. 16 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 12 in Norway, and No. 28 in Flanders. In Australia, it came in at No. 10 in radio station Triple J’s Hottest 100 of 2004. Nine years later, it was voted one of the best live covers by the readers of Rolling Stone magazine.

In 2016, vocal group Pentatonix covered the song with Parton appearing as a featured artist, and it topped Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart.

Beyoncé took a stab at the song on her Cowboy Carter album, and her version nabbed a nomination for Cover Song of the Year at the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards.

In 2023, Parton embraced the rock world with her album Rockstar, which featured the country legend teaming with several veteran rockers on versions of their well-known hits, including Heart’s “Magic Man” with Ann Wilson, the Beatles’ “Let It Be” with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, as well as the original “Bygones” with Judas Priest’s Rob Halford and Mötley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx and John 5.

Halford performed as part of an all-star tribute to Parton when she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in November 2022. In an interview with Mark Strigi from SiriusXM’s Ozzy’s Boneyard show, per Classic Rock, Halford heaped praise on Parton. “She’s just this walking beacon of love and happiness and joy that she spreads. And the talent that she has; when you think about the thousands and thousands of songs that she’s written,” he said.

“She’s the epitome of staying the course and believing in yourself and believing the people around you and getting through these difficulties and challenges and rising above them and becoming a success all over again. She was always a success, but in the way that she can kind of fade in and out of things in rock and roll. She stuck to it.”

Country music icon Dolly Parton has died.

A little more than one year ago, she lost her beloved husband, Carl Dean, after nearly 60 years together. Dean’s exact cause of death was never revealed, reports indicated that he’d been plagued by an unspecified prolonged illness.

Dean’s death left Parton heartbroken.

“Of course I miss him. I’m having to really go through a lot trying to figure out how to be without him because I was with him for so long,” Parton told Entertainment Tonight just two months after Dean’s death. “There’s that part of me that will miss him forever. … For the rest of my life, I’m sure,” she continued, adding, “He did suffer a lot for the last few years, and there’s a part of me that’s happy he’s at peace and at rest.”

A few months later, Parton opened up about her husband’s death while chatting with People.

“Ours is a great old love story. Most people don’t stay that close that long,” the Grammy winner told the outlet. “That’s a loss. Nobody can ever know that unless you’ve experienced it yourself. He will always be in my heart and in my memories.”

Parton met Dean in Nashville when she was just 18 years old.

“I was at the laundromat, the Wishy‐Washy—I’d come to Nashville with dirty clothes. I was in such a hurry to get here—and after I’d put my clothes in the machine, I started walkin’ down the street…and this guy hollered at me, and I waved,” Parton told The New York Times in 1976. “Bein’ from the country, I spoke to everybody. And he came over and, well, it was Carl, my husband.”

On Tuesday, Aug. 25, Parton’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, shared a candid video message announcing Parton’s death. In the video, he noted that he feels that his aunt is “in the arms of Jesus” and was “met by Carl.”

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Billy Ray Cyrus is beaming in birthday photos shared by his girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley.

“Happy Birthday to my beautiful boyfriend @billyraycyrus,” Hurley captioned a series of snaps on Instagram on Tuesday. “May the next year be our best ever.”

The country singer, who turned 65, was seen in several PDA-filled pictures with the longtime British actress, and fans couldn’t help but support the couple’s relationship.

“So happy you are so happy…beautiful couple……stay young!” one wrote.

“I’ve never seen Billy so happy lol So happy for the both of you,” added another.

“You two make such a beautiful couple,” said a third. “Happy you both have found each other. Love is a wonderful thing.”

Cyrus’ family and friends, including daughters Miley and Noah, also sent him a video message for his birthday, which he shared on his Instagram.

“Happy Birthday Dad, I’m so grateful for you, mostly for your really good hair, love you. Happy birthday,” Miley said.

Hurley and her son Damian were also included in the video montage.

“Hi baby, happy birthday to you,” the Austin Powers star said. “I hope you have the best birthday and I love you very much.”

“Happy birthday, I love you, I miss you,” Damian said in a selfie clip. “Celebrate and have the most beautiful day and I’ll see you soon.”

Others featured in the video included “Old Town Road” rapper Lil’ Nas X, Diplo, Shania Twain, Gretchen Wilson and Dennis Quaid.

Related: Elizabeth Hurley Reveals What She Really Thought of Miley Cyrus Before Dating Billy Ray

Hurley, 61, who went public with the “Achy Breaky Heart” singer in 2025 in a Easter Sunday Instagram post has continued to share their life together. She regularly documents occasions including red carpet appearances and family time together.

Most recently, the couple spoke with People in June about what they have in common.

“We split our time between Billy’s farm in Tennessee and my country house in England, with brief forays into Nashville and London. We both love the countryside, where I’m usually wielding power tools in the garden whilst Billy strums his guitar under a tree,” she said. “We obsessively watch birds of prey and light lots of bonfires. It’s bliss.”

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Dolly Parton was larger than life, so it’s no surprise that she had a whole theme park dedicated to her.

Originally named “Rebel Railroad,” the theme park based in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., went through several iterations before Parton came into the picture in 1986. She bought an interest in Silver Dollar City, as it was called at the time, and the name was promptly changed to Dollywood.

“We’re lucky to be in the part of the world that I believe is just absolutely the most perfect place that God has created, so we just look outside the window and those big, beautiful Smoky Mountains provide all the inspiration we could ever dream of finding,” Parton told National Geographic of her decision to invest in Dollywood.

“The Smokies — and the wonderful people who work here — are what make Dollywood so different than many of the other theme parks around the world.”

Sadly, Parton passed away at the age of 80 on August 25, 2026, and now fans are worried about the future of Dollywood.

At the time of her passing, Dollywood was jointly owned by Herschend and Dolly Parton Productions, the entertainment company of the late country singer. Parton also owned the sister water park, Dollywood’s Splash Country, Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa, and Dolly Parton’s Stampede Dinner Attraction.

In a video announcing her death, her nephew Bryan Seaver reassured fans that her legacy would be preserved, and presumably that of Dollywood, by her family.

“Our family and the team she has entrusted with her legacy will work diligently to ensure her spirit will live with us forever,” he said. “She will always love you.”

Dollywood also released a statement paying tribute to the park’s “Dreamer-in-Chief” following her death.

“Dolly’s heartfelt wish was that Dollywood always remain a place of joy, hope and togetherness—a space where families and friends could honor her memory, not with silence, but with laughter, music and shared dreams,” the statement read. “Together, we honor her by carrying forward her message of love, perseverance, and hope.”

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It doesn’t take an intense workout to rack up 10,000 steps. A commute, a few errands, and an afternoon out can get you there surprisingly fast, so having shoes that can keep up makes a huge difference. If you’ve been looking for a new pair, the Skechers Glide Step Arc Waves 2.0 Sneakers are currently on sale for just $43 at Amazon, down from $54. They’re available in a black-and-white colorway and come in sizes 5 through 13.

These kicks feature memory foam cushioning for added softness with every step, while the thick, curved sole provides plenty of padding for all-day excursions. Their mostly black upper is also practical for everyday wear since it won’t show every little scuff as quickly as a lighter pair.

Courtesy of Amazon

These are easy to throw on for days when you know you’ll be on your feet much more than usual, whether that’s through airport terminals, while sightseeing, on a long shopping trip, or on a day when two errands somehow turn into six. They also work well as an everyday pair since the design doesn’t look overly sporty, so you can wear them with more than just workout clothes.

One shopper said, “They’re like walking on clouds,” while another wrote, “I can wear them all day without any pain or blisters.” That reviewer also described them as lightweight, soft, and supportive. Another person called them “super cute and comfy,” while someone else said they’re “very comfortable for flat feet” and noted they could skip their usual orthotics.

Related: Gap’s ‘Buttery Soft’ $20 Fleece Joggers Are ‘Perfect for Fall’ and Come in 6 Colors

At this low price, scooping these up is a no-brainer. Many similar walking and everyday athletic sneakers are priced around $70 to $115, with some cushioned styles climbing even higher. Even sale prices can easily sit above $50, so this $43 pair comes in much lower than many comparable options.

• Skechers Glide Step Vortex Avalin Sneakers, $45 (were $75) at Amazon
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The Skechers Glide Step Arc Waves 2.0 Sneakers are already practical enough to wear every day, and the $43 price makes them even easier to justify. If you’ve been putting off replacing an older pair, this sale gives you the perfect excuse to finally do it. Be sure to snag a pair now while they’re still available in every size.

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Dolly Parton has been a staple of country music since her childhood, but in 1970, she broke free as a solo artist with “Joshua,” which landed her at the very top of the charts.

Before hits like “Jolene” and “9 to 5,” Parton was already making a name for herself, more so as Porter Wagoner’s duet partner. During that time, she still released tracks as a solo artist, but had yet to achieve a No. 1 hit. Her cover of Jimmie Rodgers’ “Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)” landed her close at No. 3 on the charts.

By 1970, Parton released her seventh studio album titled Joshua and included a single and title track of the same name. “Joshua” would end up becoming the golden ticket that launched the 24-year-old to the stardom she deserved when it became her first No.1 hit on the Billboard country charts a year later in 1971.

The success of the song even landed Parton her first-ever Grammy nomination in the Best Country Female Vocal category for the song. It was safe to say that all eyes were on the future ‘Queen of Country’ thanks to the track.

Alongside Parton’s legendary vocals, the track told the story of a young woman who ventures to a mountain man named Joshua’s shack. She is on a mission to uncover if the rumors of him being mean and vicious are true, only to discover he’s a lonely and kind-hearted man she ends up falling in love with.

The story behind “Joshua” isn’t entirely a far-fetched tale, as Parton based it on people she knew as a child.

“I love the story of this song,” Parton said, according to SongFacts. “But I also love the little musical arrangement. The record sounded really good. I based the character on two or three mountain men I knew as a kid, reclusive people who lived alone way back in the mountains. I just kind of built the story around them.”

The track deviated from other country ballads at the time with its upbeat, catchy, and full-of-energy sound. “Joshua” was the hit Parton needed to separate herself from Wagoner, as the album peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. It also just managed to make the Billboard 200 chart at No. 198. Critics called the album and track one of the “all-time best country records ever recorded.”

Related: 1964 Pop Song, Covered by Dolly Parton 20 Years Later, Became a No. 1 International Hit