Dolly Parton appeared in good spirits in final appearance days before her death

Dolly Parton appeared in good spirits during her final appearance days before she died on Tuesday.

The “Jolene” songstress appeared virtually to accept the ACM Poet’s Award at the ACM Honors on Aug. 19.

“I just want to send a very special thank you to the Academy of Country Music for honoring me with the Poet’s Award,” Parton said in the video message shared to Instagram last week.

“You know, I’ve been able to do many things throughout my life, but at my core, songwriting has always been the most important part of who I am creatively,” she added.

Parton added: “Every dream I ever had and all the dreams that I’ve been able to see come true in life, well, they all started with a song. Songwriting has been my therapy.

“Songwriting has been my release, my joy. Songwriting has been a gift from God that has allowed me to touch people with words and music,” she shared.

The 10-time Grammy winner was seated in the video and looked chic in a long sleed cream top. Her famous blond hair was pinned up in a messy updo.

On Tuesday, the country music star’s nephew and longtime head of security, Bryan Seaver, shared in an Instagram post that Parton had passed away. She was 80.

“I am representing the Parton and Owens family today, announcing the passing of my Aunt Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean,” Seaver began in the clip.

“Sister, aunt, Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next,” he continued. “This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago before I fully absorbed it as a future reality.”

Seaver, who has been head of Parton’s security for more than two decades, said he has “imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven’t truly felt it until now.”

The latest news on music icon Dolly Parton’s death at 80

• Country music icon Dolly Parton dead at 80

• Dolly Parton opened up about ‘hard times’ with her health in final interview after canceling appearance

• Dolly Parton was hospitalized for ‘kidney and autoimmune issues’ days before her death: report

• Dolly Parton’s life in photos: Remembering the legendary country star before her death at 80

“It is an honor that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness. But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly,” he said.

Parton’s publicity team also confirmed her passing on Tuesday in a statement to Page Six.

“A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family,” her reps said.

“Dolly Parton’s legacy is one of love, compassion, and resilience. With a seven-decade career, she inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place,” they added.

A cause of death has not yet been disclosed to the public, however, TMZ reported that Parton was admitted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville last Friday morning with kidney and autoimmune issues.

The outlet reported that Parton died in the hospital.

Just days before the “I Will Always Love You” singer’s passing, she canceled an appearance at her iconic Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, after a doctor ordered her not to travel due to ongoing “health issues.”

“I’m supposed to be there in person, like we planned,” she said in a video posted by Knoxville News Sentinel and the Tennessean.

“Now I’ve told you before, all my fans, that I have had a few little health issues. And sometimes I get a little dizzy, and I get dehydrated,” she shared.

The 10-time Grammy winner’s last public appearance was at the opening of her Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop ribbon-cutting ceremony in late June.

Parton’s passing comes more than a year after her husband, Carl Dean, died in March 2025 at the age of 82.

After Dean’s death, the “9 to 5” songstress announced she would briefly take a step back from music because she couldn’t “afford the luxury” of “getting emotional.”