Iconic country musician Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80, her family announced on her social media. Sadness lies with us, not with Dolly, Parton's nephew Brian Seaver said in a video announcement. Dolly lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely. Dolly Parton will be remembered for her songs that told beautiful stories, such as Coat of Many Colours, Jolene, and I Will Always Love You. The country legend sold more than 100 million records worldwide, and wrote over 3,000 songs. Parton took her writing seriously, and considered herself primarily a songwriter. It's my way of expressing myself. It's my therapy, she said. The singer was also a savvy business woman, and was armed with a wit and charm that enabled her to ride through a career in show business that spanned over 60 years. President Donald Trump said US flags will be lowered for a week in her honour. Dolly Parton was born in 1946 into a poor farming family who lived in a one-bedroom cabin on the banks of the Little Pigeon River in Tennessee. She was the fourth of 12 children. Her father, Robert Lee Parton, was a tobacco farmer and paid a missionary a sack of cornmeal for delivering her. Dolly said her mother, Avie Lee, used to sing folk songs all the time. She was also influenced by her Aunt, who played the guitar and wrote songs. Her uncle accompanied her on the guitar during some of her first performances. Parton sang in the local church where her grandfather was the pastor, from the age of six and - before reaching her teens - she was performing on her local TV station. By the age of thirteen, she had reached country music's summit: with an appearance at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.
