Dolly Parton Honored by Sports World After Country Music Legend Dies at 80

The world lost an iconic singer-songwriter and country star on Tuesday.

Dolly Parton died at 80, her nephew, Bryan Seaver, announced on Instagram.

Following Parton's death, the sports world honored the singer, whose impact stretched well beyond just her music.

Parton's music career spanned nearly 60 years, and she is the best-selling female country music artist of all time, with hits like "I Will Always Love You," "9-5" and "Jolene."

She was born in Sevier County, Tennessee, and went on to become arguably the most famous East Tennessean. She released her first album, "Hello, I'm Dolly," in 1967 and released 48 more solo studio albums, her final being "Rockstar" in 2023.

But Parton's music was just a portion of her extraordinary life.

She opened the Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, in 1986, and the park has since become one of the most visited theme parks in the country. As part of the Dollywood Company, she also opened other attractions in the area, like the Dream More Resort and Spa and Dolly Parton's Stampede.

While her philanthropic efforts are immeasurable, Parton's Imagination Library is perhaps the most notable. The program began gifting free books to children in East Tennessee but has since stretched worldwide. Approximately one in six children under the age of five in the United States receives an Imagination Library Book each year.

Parton was a lifelong Tennessee fan and appeared at the Vols' 2023 game against Georgia to perform "Rocky Top," escorted onto the field by legendary quarterback Peyton Manning.

Parton had revealed on social media over the past year that her health began declining in March 2025 following the death of her husband, Carl Dean, with the most recent update coming last week.