Dolly Parton, one of the most-honored female country performers in history, as well as a recipient of Grammy and Emmy awards and a nominee for Oscar and Tony awards, has passed.

As one of the best-selling artists of all time and a legend in multiple areas, the breadth of her career cannot be summarized. Parton was born in Tennessee to a family she described as "dirt poor". Her mother, having 12 children by the age of 35, entertained them by singing ancient ballads, and her father, while illiterate, taught young Dolly business savvy. Parton moved to Nashville the day after graduating high school.

Her debut album, Hello, I'm Dolly, was released in 1967, starting a career that would include 49 studio albums alone. She had 25 songs hit #1 in the country music charts, a record for any female country music artist, 41 top 10 country albums, a record for any artist, and sold over 100 million records, placing her among the top-selling artists of all time. Her most recent studio album, 2023's Rockstar, hit #3 on the Billboard 200, making it the highest-charting album of her career.

Just a few of her beloved hit songs include "I Will Always Love You", which became a hit a second time when it was covered by Whitney Houston, "Jolene", "Coat of Many Colors", "9 to 5", "Here You Come Again", "World on Fire", and "Islands in the Stream", a duet with Kenny Rogers.

Besides her music career, Parton was an icon onscreen as well. Her theatrical debut was in 9 to 5, costarring alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, a tale about three working women getting even with their egotistical, sexist boss. Parton wrote and recorded the song of the same name for the film. The song was nominated for both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song and won Parton two Grammys. Parton was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy, and for New Star of the Year in a Motion Picture - Female.

In 1982 Parton costarred in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas with Burt Reynolds and Jim Nabors. The film was nominated for Best Picture - Musical or Comedy and Parton was nominated for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes. Parton wrote and contributed two songs to the film — "Sneakin' Around" and "I Will Always Love You".

In 1989, Parton played hairstylist Truvy Jones alongside an early career Julia Roberts in the Academy Award-nominated Steel Magnolias.

In addition to her other talents, Parton will be remembered for her philanthropy. Through her Dollywood Foundation, she has funded numerous charitable causes. Perhaps one of the best known is Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, founded in honor of her father, who never learned to read or write. The Imagination Library provides one free book per month to children enrolled from birth until kindergarten, and has sent out over 100 million books.

Additionally, Parton contributed to The American Red Cross, American bald eagle preservation efforts, fundraising for victims of the 2016 Smoky Mountain Wildfires, the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Hurricane Helene relief efforts, and vaccine research.

Parton has been inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, National Academy of Popular Music/Songwriters Hall of Fame, Country Hall of Fame, Grammy Hall of Fame, and more. She has been given two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a National Medal of Arts, and an honorary doctorate from Carson–Newman University.

A new species of lichen found growing in the Appalachians was named Japewiella dollypartoniana in Parton's honor. Additionally, an asteroid formerly known as 1998 BL3 was named Asteroid (10731) Dollyparton after Parton.

The groundbreaking singer, composer, actress, and philanthropist was 80 years old.