Though Dolly Parton‘s family knew she was battling cancer before her death, they were as unprepared as the rest of the public when the country icon died last week.
“It was just a shock on Tuesday,” Parton’s niece, singer-songwriter Jada Star, tells E! News in a new interview.
- Dolly Parton died on Tuesday (Aug. 25). She was 80 years old.
- Her death was announced via a statement from her nephew Brian Seaver, and did not immediately include any cause of death.
- Representatives for the singer later confirmed that she died after a brief battle with cancer.
Read More: Dolly Parton Obituary: Country Music’s Biggest Icon Dies at 80
Parton kept the details of many of her health struggles private, though she canceled several planned appearances in the months leading up to her death.
She did explain that she suffered chronic kidney stones. Parton also said she was addressing several other health issues that she’d backburnered while caring for her husband Carl Dean, who died in March 2025, during his illness.
Why Didn’t Dolly Parton Tell Her Fans She Had Cancer?
Star explains that Dolly Parton simply didn’t want to upset the public with news of her diagnosis.
“She never wanted to worry anybody,” the singer’s niece explains.
Even though her family knew she’d been hospitalized, it sounds from the interview like some of them may not have realized just how serious her condition was. “We kinda kept all that stuff real private,” Star adds.
What Would Dolly Parton Say to Her Family Today?
Star says that Parton wouldn’t want her loved ones to let grief take over their everyday lives.
Read More: Dolly Parton’s Manager Reveals Why There Will Be No Public Memorial
“She would also tell us to start drying it up and start trying to get back to work,” she says with a laugh. “And love each other real hard.”
“It’s been really difficult, and very surreal. I think we all share that feeling,” Star adds, speaking about the first week after Parton’s death. “It’s also been really bittersweet because of this beautiful opportunity we’ve had to see how much the whole world loves her. So all of these tributes have helped so much to help us all through it.”
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When country stars are laid to rest, their grave sites become powerful memorials to their music — and pilgrimage destinations for particularly devout country fans. Scroll through this list to see some legendary country music tombstones and read the words inscribed in their stones.
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
