Dolly Parton, Gay Icon & Queen Of Country, Dies At The Age Of 80

Gay icon, global inspiration, and queen of country Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80. The beloved musician’s team confirmed Parton had faced a brief battle with cancer before passing away on Tuesday 25 August surrounded by loved ones.

The Parton Family Announcement

In a reverent video announcement, Bryan Seaver — son of Dolly Parton’s sister, Cassie Parton, and Dolly Parton’s head of security for over two decades —  took to the star’s official social accounts to break the news to the public.

“I first went on the road with Dolly as a kid,” Seaver said, “getting a taste of the road life in the early 1980s. Dolly opened doors, not just for me, but for her entire family to reach the potential we didn’t even know was possible. Dolly also opened doors for generations of singers, songwriters, musicians, and dreamers from every walk of life, and across every continent. 

“By her example, we believed that anything was possible. She never saw a door she couldn’t open, and the doors she opened made and changed history.”

Seaver went on to suggest that while Dolly Parton was indeed his own Aunt, she was also a friend, a mother, and a mentor to countless people across the world whose lives she touched.

“My family and I have shared a lifetime of beautiful memories with Dolly, but so have you. She has always been on your television, your record player, your CD, and on your phone playlist, becoming an extended part of your family, whether you liked it or not.”

Seaver concluded the announcement by sharing that his Aunt had personally requested a “beautiful bed of plush cotton” be her final resting place, because “after a life of wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable”.

“She will always love you,” was Seaver’s final remark.

Dolly Parton’s Legacy

Dolly Parton, recipient of 11 Grammys and a Prime Time Emmy Award, will be remembered for warm, vibrant personality, generous philanthropy, and, of course, her timeless hits in “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You,” and “9 to 5”. The Tennessee-born singer rose to fame in the 1970s, blending country and pop styles and writing over 3,000 songs over seven decades.

Alongside revolutionising country music, the honorary drag queen is especially remembered by the queer community for her unrelenting LGBTQ+ allyship. Over the course of her career, Parton celebrated her drag impersonators, vocalised her support for trans rights, and even publicly endorsed the “yes” vote during Australia’s same-sex marriage plebiscite.