Dolly Parton spoke to fans from her Nashville home in a final video appearance just 11 days before her death.
The country music legend, 80, recorded the message for fans gathered at her Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, on August 14, after doctors ordered her to skip the in-person appearance. Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, later announced her death in a prepared video statement she had requested before she died.
“My family and I have shared a lifetime of beautiful memories with Dolly, but so have you,” Seaver said.
“She has always been your television, your record player, your CD, becoming an extended part of your family. Whether you liked it or not. Our family and the team she has entrusted with her legacy will work diligently to ensure her spirit will live with us forever.”
The family later released a statement confirming Parton had died following what they described as a brief battle with cancer, without disclosing the type.
They wrote: “After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones.”
In the August 14 video, shared by fans on social media, Parton addressed her absence from the grand opening of the new NightFlight Expedition ride. She said: “I’m still in Nashville, and I’m sorry about that. I’m supposed to be there in person like we planned.”
“I’ve told you before, all my fans, that I’ve had a few little health issues and sometimes I get a little dizzy and I get dehydrated. And I’m dehydrated,” she continued.
She added: “So my Nashville doctor has kind of clipped my wings, saying, ‘You ain’t traveling this week’, So I guess if your doctor tells you, ‘You ain’t traveling this week’, you ain’t traveling this week.”
Despite the medical restrictions, Parton insisted that “all was going well on the medical end of things.”
In the viral moment that would become her final public message, the “Jolene” singer maintained her characteristic warmth and humor while explaining her health situation to disappointed fans. The recorded appearance came just days before her medical team had grounded her from travel, and less than two weeks before her death at the Nashville cancer center on August 25.
Parton had remained active on multiple projects in the months before her death, including the SongTeller Hotel in downtown Nashville, the Life of Many Colors Museum, and the upcoming Broadway show “Dolly: A True Original Musical.”
Following her death, Dollywood issued a statement through a spokesperson.
“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 spokesperson wrote.
“Dolly’s heart was as vast as the mountains she cherished, and her compassion knew no bounds. She inspired generations to dream boldly and love deeply. While we grieve her loss, we are honored and committed to carry her light forward. Her legacy will continue to shine in every melody sung, every smile shared and every dream kindled within these gates.”
The theme park, which Parton opened in 1986, will continue operations as her family and team work to preserve her legacy across entertainment, hospitality, and the arts.