New Details Emerge About Dolly Parton’s Health Before Her Death
New details are emerging about Dolly Parton’s health in the days leading up to the country music legend’s death at the age of 80, though an official cause of death has not yet been disclosed.
Parton died peacefully Tuesday in Nashville, Tennessee, according to her publicist. Her death brought an outpouring of tributes for the singer, songwriter, actress and philanthropist whose career stretched across seven decades.
While Parton’s family and representatives have not announced what caused her death, the singer had been dealing with a series of health problems before her passing.
Parton was admitted to a Nashville hospital on Friday, August 21, just four days before her death, according to PEOPLE. The outlet reported that the reason for her hospitalization was not immediately clear.
TMZ later reported, citing sources with knowledge of the situation, that Parton had been admitted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center with kidney and autoimmune issues. Those conditions, however, have not been officially identified as her cause of death.
The hospitalization came the same day Parton publicly addressed her health struggles.
“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,” Parton said in a statement to PEOPLE, referring to her late husband, Carl Dean.
Los Angeles, California/US – circa 1990s
Dean, Parton’s husband of nearly 60 years, died in March 2025.
Parton had experienced other health problems over the previous year. She postponed appearances and previously told fans that doctors wanted her to undergo several procedures.
Earlier this month, Parton missed the opening of a new attraction at Dollywood after experiencing dizziness and dehydration. Her doctor advised her against traveling, forcing the Tennessee native to address attendees through a prerecorded message.
Parton had also previously dealt with kidney stones. Despite those problems, Parton remained optimistic about her future only days before her death.
“Even though I’m still healin’, I’m still workin’!” she said in her final health update, adding that she still had numerous projects she hoped to complete.
The sudden death marks the end of one of the most celebrated careers in American entertainment.
Born in Tennessee in 1946 as one of 12 children, Parton rose from poverty in the Great Smoky Mountains to become a global superstar. Her catalog included classics such as “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors,” “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You.”
Parton also built an enormous philanthropic legacy through programs including her Imagination Library, which has distributed hundreds of millions of books to children around the world.
Her family announced that a small private service will be held for immediate relatives.
For now, the exact medical circumstances surrounding Parton’s death remain unknown. Neither her family nor her publicist has identified a specific illness or condition as the cause of her death.