Legendary singer-songwriter Dolly Parton passed away on August 25 at the age of 80. Her death was announced by her nephew, Bryan Seaver, who served as her head of security for the last 20 years.
In a statement by her representatives to People Magazine, Parton passed away surrounded by her family at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tennessee. She died after a “brief battle” with cancer.
“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,” the statement said.
Parton was known as the Queen of Country. She won multiple awards during her career, including 11 Grammy Awards, three Emmy Awards and six Golden Globe Awards. She was also famous for her philanthropy and advocacy.
Sophie Cunningham Posts Dolly Parton Tribute
GettyDolly Parton performs on stage at ACL Live during Blockchain Creative Labs’ Dollyverse event at SXSW during the 2022 SXSW Conference and Festivals on March 18, 2022 in Austin, Texas.
In a post on her Instagram stories, Sophie Cunningham of the Indiana Fever shared a quote from Country Now regarding Dolly Parton. Cunningham paid tribute to the iconic singer by spreading love.
“Country music and the entire world will never be the same without Dolly. So the only way forward is to be more like Dolly. Be kind to your neighbor. Do good in the world. Help others. Spread a little more love. Be like Dolly,” the tribute said.
Be kind to your neighbor. Do good in the world. Help others. Spread a little more love. Be like Dolly.
Cunningham is a known fan of country music, so it wasn’t surprising to see her pay tribute to Parton.
Nevertheless, Parton’s impact will be long-lasting, especially with the number of people paying tribute to her on social media. From well-known artists in every genre to politicians, celebrities and the simple masses who were just fans of her music or her philanthropic ways.
Indiana Fever on a Break
GettyKelsey Mitchell #0, Myisha Hines-Allen #2, Caitlin Clark #22, Sophie Cunningham #8 and Aliyah Boston #7 of the Indiana Fever huddle against the Chicago Sky during the second half at United Center on August 08, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.
The Indiana Fever are in the middle of a five-day break following a grueling five-game road trip. It was a packed schedule last week, with the Fever playing five games in five different cities in a span of just eight days.
The Fever went 3-2 on their trip, with wins against the Atlanta Dream, Toronto Tempo and Chicago Sky and losses to the Las Vegas Aces and Minnesota Lynx. They are currently sitting fifth in the WNBA standings at 25-14.
While the playoffs have been clinched, the Fever would want to secure a top-four finish to gain homecourt advantage for the first round of the postseason. They have five games left in the regular season, with their next game scheduled on Friday at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse against the Connecticut Sun.
The WNBA then takes another long break to accommodate the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Germany. The Fever are well represented in the tournament, with Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and coach Stephanie White part of Team USA.
Indiana Fever Star Sophie Cunningham Shares Tribute to Dolly Parton