❤️ Sports world pays tribute to Dolly Parton

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  Kalan HooksAug 25, 2026, 06:50 PM ET

Dolly Parton was an icon gone too soon. On Tuesday, Parton's estate announced the superstar singer, songwriter, actress and businesswoman had died at 80. Her death was announced in a video on social media by her nephew Bryan Seaver, who was her head of security.

Parton had an iconic career as an entertainer for more than 60 years. She stepped on the scene in 1959 when she was 13 years old with her first single, "Puppy Love," which eventually led to a career that included the release of 49 studio albums, producing 25 No. 1 hits on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart.

She rose to a new peak in 1973 with the release of two of her best-known singles, "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You," whose legacy was later carried on by Whitney Houston in her 1992 smash hit rendition of the latter.

A notable philanthropist, Parton contributed millions of dollars toward college scholarships through the Dollywood Foundation and founded the Imagination Library, which provides free books to children.

She also invested her royalties from "I Will Love You" into an office complex in Nashville, Tennessee.

"It was mostly just Black families and people that lived around there. It was a whole strip mall. And I thought, 'This is the perfect place for me to be, considering it was Whitney,'" Parton said in 2021. "I just thought: 'This was great. I'm going to be down here with her people, who are my people as well.' And so I just love the fact that I spent that money on a complex. And I think, 'This is the house that Whitney built.'"

Outside of the music world, the Dollywood owner's presence was felt across sports, too. Parton, born in Tennessee, was a die-hard fan of teams from her home state. She consistently celebrated Volunteers wins on social media, and in 2020 was named the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame's Tennessean of the Year.

In 2023, the "9-to-5" star made an appearance at Neyland Stadium, where she was escorted by Peyton Manning, to perform a rendition of "Rocky Top."

Her most recent sports appearance was Parton's unforgettable 2023 Thanksgiving halftime show during a game between the Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys, where she wore a Cowboys cheerleader uniform and performed "Jolene" and "9 to 5." She concluded the performance with a mashup of "We Are the Champions" and "We Will Rock You."

Parton's presence will surely be missed in the sports world, and teams are paying their respects to the legendary artist. Here's how the sports world paid tribute to Parton.

The world lost a little sparkle today.
Rest easy, Dolly ✨ pic.twitter.com/MtTT9YbsJf

— Kim Mulkey (@KimMulkey) August 25, 2026

Growing up in Tennessee, I've always loved Dolly. RIP 🧡🩷 pic.twitter.com/Q4hNdytg8E

— Kellie Harper (@KellieHarper) August 25, 2026

Our thoughts are with Dolly's family, her friends and the millions of people whose lives she impacted through her music and passion for helping others 💛 https://t.co/Qflzvp1wKW

— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) August 25, 2026