Dolly Parton, widely acclaimed as the queen of American country music, passed away on the 25th (local time) at the age of 80.

Parton's nephew, Bryan Seabaugh, announced her passing through a video posted on social media, saying, "Dolly lived in the light, and now she is in the arms of Jesus."

Concerns over Parton's health grew last year when she postponed and ultimately canceled her Las Vegas residency.

Having revealed in recent years that her immune and digestive systems had severely deteriorated, Parton confirmed on social media last autumn, "I ain't dead yet," and stated in May of this year that she was responding well to treatments, but she ultimately passed away peacefully in her hometown of Nashville, Tennessee.

The Associated Press described Parton as a "country music icon who rose from a log cabin in the mountains of Tennessee to the pinnacle of stardom and acclaim with a soaring vibrato voice, heart-wrenching lyrics, and dazzling outfits."

Born in 1946 into an impoverished family in Tennessee as one of 12 children, Parton was a singer-songwriter, record producer, actor, television personality, author, and philanthropist who was beloved across generations, regions, and political divides.

She gained fame after her 1973 release "Jolene" crossed over from the country charts to pop charts and was released worldwide, becoming a massive hit.

The following year, with "I Will Always Love You," which she wrote and composed herself, she won the Country Music Association (CMA) Female Vocalist of the Year award for two consecutive years starting in 1975.

This song was later remade by Whitney Houston as the theme song for the 1992 film "The Bodyguard," remaining a world-renowned classic.

Other globally popular songs of hers include the self-titled soundtrack to the 1980 comedy film "9 to 5" and "Islands in the Stream," a duet with Kenny Rogers.

Parton wrote and composed over 3,000 songs throughout her life.

Her songs have been covered by numerous other artists, including Houston, Tina Turner, Norah Jones, The White Stripes, Merle Haggard, Miley Cyrus, Beyoncé, and Olivia Newton-John.

Across a total of 49 albums, her classic tracks recorded over 100 million in global record sales and were streamed over 1 billion times online.

Parton received a total of 11 Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Twenty-five of her songs reached No. 1 on the Billboard country charts.

She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001 and received its highest honor, the Johnny Mercer Award, in 2007.

In 2022, she was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Although she was known for her flamboyant and daring rhinestone-studded outfits, giant blonde hairstyles, and heavy makeup, she also achieved immense fame through her philanthropic work.

She established the Imagination Library, an educational nonprofit organization dedicated to sending free books to children in Tennessee, and operated literacy programs for preschool children across the United States as well as in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Ireland, providing over 300 million free books to young readers worldwide.

When a wildfire that broke out in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2016 caused severe damage in Tennessee, she organized a telethon to help the victims. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University for vaccine research, earning recognition as an early funder of the Moderna vaccine.

Reuters noted, "The quality that gave her enduring star power was her ability to connect with people. Raised in what she described as a 'dirt-poor' family, Parton was often seen as a symbol of the American working class, pouring her fame and fortune into the causes she believed in."

Parton married asphalt paving contractor Carl Dean in the mid-1960s, and they remained together until Dean passed away last year.

The couple had no children, but singer Miley Cyrus was Parton's goddaughter.

Upon hearing the news of Parton's passing, U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on the social media platform Truth Social, "Very sad news to report on the passing of Dolly Parton, one of the greatest country music singers of all time, and so much more."

President Trump added, "This is truly a great loss to so many. There has never been anyone like her, and there never will be," and ordered flags to be flown at half-staff across the United States starting at 6 p.m. today for one week to honor Parton.

Major U.S. media outlets extensively reported her obituary.

The New York Times mourned, writing that she "dominated country music and a vast swath of popular culture for 60 years," and described her as "one of the most beloved Americans of the 20th century, who defined herself with an oversized personality and down-home wit."

The Washington Post wrote, "Parton's space was big enough to hold the followers of the country music world, the poor residents of Appalachia who found their lives in the lyrics of her thousands of self-penned songs, the working women she cheered on in the movie '9 to 5,' and the children she helped through her literacy programs."

An obituary post was also shared on Parton's X (formerly Twitter) account that day.

The post stated, "The legacy Dolly leaves behind is one of love, compassion, and resilience. Her songs will continue to resonate with people of all ages, and her philanthropic efforts will leave a lasting impact."

Her funeral will be held privately.

It will be a simple service attended by close family members.

The bereaved family has requested that donations be made to the Imagination Library, founded by Parton, in lieu of flowers.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)