Dolly Parton said she still had “so many things I want to achieve” in one of her final interviews before her death at 80.
The country music icon’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, announced her passing with “great sadness” in a video message shared on Tuesday. Parton, the Tennessee-born “9 to 5” singer, had been open with fans about facing health challenges over the past year. In September 2025, she postponed the beginning of her Las Vegas residency due to ailments, then canceled it altogether in May.
Parton told fans in May that both her immune system and digestive system had “got all out of whack over the past couple of years,” but said she was “improving every day.”
“Bad news is it’s gonna take me a little while before I’m up to stage performance level, because some of the meds and treatments make me a little bit swimmy-headed, as my grandma used to say,” she said in her May video message. “Of course I can’t be dizzy, carrying around banjos, guitars and such on five-inch heels. And you know that I’m gonna be wearing them!”
She continued: “I’m doing really well, and they assure me that everything I have is treatable, so I’m going with that, and I just want you to know I thank you for standing by me and that I will always love you.”
The health struggles came after the March 2025 death of her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean. In her final interview, published Friday, Parton revealed she had overlooked health red flags while caring for Dean. She insisted she was “still healing and still working.”
Tons of fans had hoped to see the Queen of Country at her Tennessee theme park, Dollywood, on August 14, but her doctor ordered her not to travel.
“My little butterfly wings are getting kinda tired,” she told attendees about her absence in a video message. “Now I’ve told you before, all my fans, that I have had a few little health issues. And sometimes I get a little dizzy, and I get dehydrated.”
“And I’m dehydrated. And so my Nashville doctor clipped my wings, saying you ain’t travelling this week. So I guess if your doctor tells you you ain’t travelling this week, you ain’t travelling this week.”
In her interview, Parton confirmed she was still “dealing with” unspecified ailments.
“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,” the “Jolene” hitmaker said.
“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,” she added. “But I think because we live in a 24/7 world with social media, everything gets magnified in ways it wasn’t years ago.”
Parton joked that she used to call herself “Queen of the Tabloids,” but now she’s more like “the Queen of Social Media AI.”
“Seriously, though, even though I’m still healin’, I’m still workin’!” she said. “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.”
In the viral moment that defined her final public message, Seaver delivered the family’s announcement on Tuesday, describing Parton as a “beloved singer, songwriter, philanthropist, actress, playwright, and author.” The family statement read: “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.”
Seaver signed off with a final message from Parton herself.
“Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton, because after a life of wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest,” he said. “Rest in Peace Aunt Dolly. Aunt Granny. Gigi. May God bless Dolly Parton and may God bless you all. She will always love you.”