Jump to contentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleBrittney DonovanTuesday 25 August 2026 20:34 BSTDolly Parton dies aged 80Dolly Parton, known for her legendary music and songwriting, inspired countless artists before her death, including fellow music icon Taylor Swift.Dolly’s family announced her death at the age of 80 on Tuesday in an emotional video posted to Instagram. A cause of death has not been released but she had been candid about her struggles following the death of her husband of 60 years in March 2025.Fellow artists frequently cited Dolly as a role model and trailblazer whose influence reached far beyond country music. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in 2023, Taylor Swift praised Parton's humor, artistry and impact on generations of performers."Dolly is a force of evolution and transformation in our industry, but she does it with such playful levity it almost looks effortless," Swift said. "Her sense of humor and mischief are easily my favorite things about her, because I think it forces the world to reconcile that a woman can be a serious artist and writer who also has raucous fun with it, can make people laugh and be in on every joke."Dolly Parton had similarly praised Taylor throughout the years and recently shared a video thanking Taylor and her new husband Travis Kelce for a $2 million gift to her Imagination Library.In fullDolly Parton death latest: Tributes pour in from around the world after country legend dies age 80More bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in