Dolly Parton, country music icon and philanthropist, dies at 80

Dolly Parton, the effervescent and glamorous “Queen of Country” who emerged from extreme poverty in rural Tennessee to become one of America’s most distinguished songwriters and wealthiest self-made women, has died. She was 80.

She died today in Nashville, her publicist, True Public Relations, said in a statement. The New York Times reported the cause as cancer, citing her representatives. In May, she had cancelled a planned Las Vegas residency due to health issues that she said left her feeling “swimmy headed.”

With her platinum blonde wigs, sparkling outfits, hourglass figure and disarming one-liners that became known as Dollyisms, Parton became one of America’s most recognisable and beloved celebrities.

Her legendary songs included 9 to 5, I Will Always Love You and Jolene, which ranked as the best country song of all time by Rolling Stone. During a seven-decade career, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall