NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Dolly Parton made her Grand Ole Opry debut at just 13 years old, back when the opry was held at the Ryman Auditorium.
Over the years, she made countless appearances there.
On Tuesday, Parton’s family shared the news that the county music icon had passed away at the age of 80 at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
One of the most beloved personalities in music and beyond, Parton was known for her soaring vocals, poignant songwriting, massive blonde wigs and colorful, attention-grabbing outfits.
She wrote hundreds of songs, including classics like “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You” – which was later covered by Whitney Houston – that totaled more than 100 million worldwide sales and more than 1 billion online streams.
Parton’s other crossover hits included the title song from the film “9 to 5,” the 1980 comedy starring Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin; and her duet with longtime friend Kenny Rogers, “Islands in the Stream.”
Beyond her music, Parton’s most lasting legacy might be her generosity. She started her education nonprofit, Imagination Library, to send free books to children in Tennessee and she established the Dollywood Foundation after opening her Dollywood theme park in east Tennessee.
Parton was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and was given a lifetime achievement award by the Recording Academy.
With 55 Grammy nominations and 10 wins, Parton is the third-most nominated woman in Grammy history.
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