Country music legend Dolly Parton has passed away at the age of 80, her family announced.
In a post to Instagram, her nephew Bryan Seaver stated: “Hey everyone, my name is Bryan Seaver, son of Cassie Parton and I am representing the Parton and Owens family today, announcing the passing of my Aunt Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean."
Following the announcement, US President Donald Trump announced that he has ordered that flags be flown at half-mast for a week in honor of Parton.
Trump wrote on Truth Social: "Very sad to report that Dolly Parton, one of the greatest Country singers, and far beyond, EVER, has just passed away. This is a true loss for millions of people. There has never been anyone like her, and never will. In her honor, I am lowering the American flag throughout the United States for a one week period beginning tonight at 6:00PM. Rest in Peace, Dolly! The World loves you. President DONALD J. TRUMP."
Parton was a force in the music industry for nearly 60 years, beginning with her 1967 debut album, Hello, I'm Dolly. In 1974, she released the hit single, I Will Always Love You, a tribute to her business partner and mentor Porter Wagoner. I Will Always Love You gained further popularity with the release of the 1992 cover of the song by fellow musical legend Whitney Houston.
Over the course of her illustrious career, Parton had 25 songs reach number 1 on the Billboard country music charts and has sold over 100 million records worldwide. She won 11 Grammy Awards and three Emmy Awards, as well as an honorary Oscar for humanitarian work.
Parton founded the Imagination Library, which promotes literacy by providing free books to children to facilitate the development of reading skills. The Imagination Library has donated over 100 million free books to about 850,000 children.
In 1994, she apologized for remarks in which she said that Hollywood executives were afraid to "promote Christianity" because so many of them were Jewish. The Anti-Defamation League warned that the remarks invoked the trope of Jewish control of Hollywood.
Parton has an amusement park named after her: Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Dollywood, which received the name after Parton became one of the owners in 1986, is beloved for the natural beauty of its forest and mountain setting, as well as its world-class ride lineup, which include world-class roller coasters like Lightning Rod, Thunderhead, and Big Bear Mountain. The park recently opened a roller coaster-water ride hybrid,NightFlight Expedition.