Seaver, the son of Parton’s sister Cassie, delivered the news on behalf of the Parton and Owens families.
He revealed that Parton herself had asked him years earlier to make the announcement when the time eventually came.
His emotional tribute continued with a message of faith and remembrance.
Her Final Words Revealed She Still Had Big Plans
Despite her declining health, Parton remained focused on her career and the projects she hoped to complete.
Just days before her death, she said she still had “so many things I want to achieve” and planned to continue working for as long as possible.
That determination reflected the attitude that had defined her extraordinary rise from a childhood in rural Tennessee to becoming one of the biggest names in music and Hollywood.
From Tennessee Poverty to Country Music Royalty
Born in Tennessee in 1946, Parton was one of 12 children raised in a family with very little money. Music became part of her life almost immediately.
She sang in her grandfather’s church, learned to play guitar as a child and began writing songs at just seven years old.
After graduating from high school, Parton moved to Nashville in 1964 determined to build a music career. Her major breakthrough came when Porter Wagoner invited her to join The Porter Wagoner Show.
By the early 1970s, Parton was becoming a superstar in her own right. “Joshua” became her first No. 1 country single, while songs such as “Coat of Many Colors” and “Jolene” cemented her place in country music history.
Her decision to leave Wagoner’s show in 1974 inspired one of her most famous compositions, “I Will Always Love You,” which was later transformed into a global phenomenon by Whitney Houston.
Dolly Parton Became a Hollywood Star Too
Parton’s talent soon carried her far beyond Nashville.
She made her big-screen debut opposite Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in the 1980 comedy 9 to 5. The movie’s title track became Parton’s first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
She later appeared in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Rhinestone, Steel Magnolias and Joyful Noise.
Over her extraordinary career, Parton earned 11 Grammys, an Emmy, 10 CMA Awards, seven Academy of Country Music Awards and three American Music Awards, along with two Academy Award nominations. She was inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Her legacy also extended far beyond entertainment through charitable work, particularly the Imagination Library, which has provided free books to generations of children.
Nearly Six Decades of Love with Carl Dean
Behind one of entertainment’s most recognizable stars was an unusually private love story.
Parton married Carl Thomas Dean in May 1966. Although Dean avoided the celebrity spotlight, the couple remained together for nearly six decades.
Dean died on March 3, 2025, leaving Parton devastated after spending most of her adult life by his side.
She later honored him with the emotional song “If You Hadn’t Been There.”
Now, only a little more than a year after losing her husband, Dolly Parton’s death marks the end of an extraordinary era — but her music, movies, philanthropy and unmistakable personality leave behind a legacy that will continue far beyond her lifetime.
