Singer Dolly Parton dies at 80
Music legend and singer songwriter Dolly Parton has died, according to a statement from her family.
In the wake of Dolly Parton’s death, Google has launched a tribute animation honoring the beloved country legend.
Parton died at age 80 following a brief battle with cancer on Tuesday, Aug. 25, her representatives confirmed to The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Following Parton’s death, tributes began pouring in across the country, including the Empire State Building lighting up pink; meanwhile, Google’s homage to the “9 to 5” singer’s legacy involves its Easter egg feature, which projects a butterfly animation and the phrase “We’ll Always Love You, 1946 – 2026” whenever someone searches her name.
Parton had a hit 1974 song called “Love is like a Butterfly.” The songstress also grew up in the Smoky Mountains, where she’d frequently chase butterflies, she told HELLO! magazine in 2024.
“I used to chase butterflies off into the woods and get lost,” she said. “Mum would get mad and have to come and find me.” The W emblem in Dollywood, Parton’s amusement park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is also a butterfly.
The phrase “We’ll Always Love You” refers to Parton’s 1974 smash hit “I’ll Always Love You,” which she wrote. The song gained newfound life again when singer Whitney Houston covered it in 1992.
Parton’s brief cancer battle
Parton died at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, where she’d been hospitalized since Aug. 21. The singer’s representatives did not state what type of cancer she had.
Her death was announced with the following statement: “Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched. Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand.”
The statement continued: “Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact. After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones.”
Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at mdelrey@usatoday.com.