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

Dolly Parton appeared in good spirits during her final public appearance — just days before her heartbreaking death 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 a video message shared via 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.” Dolly Parton (seen above via video message at the ACM Honors) looked happy and upbeat in her final appearance. Getty Images The “Jolene” singer appeared virtually (as seen above) to accept an award at the ACM Honors on Aug. 19. acmawards/instagram “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,” she continued. “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.” The 10-time Grammy winner was seated in the video and looked chic in a long-sleeved cream top. Her famous blond hair was pinned up in a messy updo for the virtual appearance. As Page Six reported earlier Tuesday, Bryan Seaver — the country music star’s nephew and longtime head of security — confirmed in a post shared to Instagram that Parton had died. 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. “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. acmawards/instagram The Grammy winner looked chic for the virtual appearance in a cream long-sleeved top. acmawards/instagram “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 hasn’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. On Tuesday, Parton’s relatives and team announced her death. She was 80. (Pictured: Parton performing at a college football game in 2023.) Icon Sportswire via Getty Images TMZ reported that Parton (seen at the grand opening of Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop in June) was hospitalized since last Friday morning. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect “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. The outlet claimed the country music star (seen above at the Grammys in 2019) was dealing with kidney and autoimmune issues. ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images Parton’s last public appearance was at the opening of her Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop ribbon-cutting ceremony in late June (as seen above). USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect 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. Parton’s husband, Carl Dean (seen kissing the singer on the cheek), died last March. dollyparton/Instagram Following Dean’s death, the “9 to 5” songstress (seen above at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in 2025) took a step back from music. Getty Images 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.” Community Guidelines Welcome to the Page Six Community! Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space. In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience. Simply put, keep it civil. 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