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Dolly Parton Turns 80 With Charity Release, Steadying Pace After Health Setbacks

Marking the milestone, she releases a charity remake of Light of a Clear Blue Morning with younger stars to fund pediatric cancer research.

Overview

  • Dolly Parton celebrates her 80th birthday on January 19 with a new recording and video featuring Miley Cyrus, Reba McEntire, Lainey Wilson and Queen Latifah, with proceeds directed to children’s cancer research in Tennessee.
  • After late‑2025 health issues, Parton postponed planned performances, including Las Vegas dates now slated for September 2026, and reassured fans with the message, “I am not dead.”
  • Over a six‑decade career, she has sold more than 100 million albums, written roughly 3,000 songs, won multiple Grammys and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
  • Parton’s insistence on retaining her song rights underpinned a broader business empire, including Dollywood, and fuels philanthropy such as the Imagination Library and a $1 million COVID‑19 research donation to Vanderbilt.
  • Her 2026 milestone follows the 2025 death of her husband Carl Dean, yet she remains a cross‑generational touchstone frequently cited by artists like Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift.