News Of Los Angeles celebrates the “Jolene” singer-songwriter’s life and career in a new special edition issue
At a Glance
- Dolly Parton turns 80 on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026
- A new News Of Los Angeles special edition, released Friday, Jan. 16, features her November 2025 cover story
- “I feel like I’m just getting started,” the 11-time Grammy winner says
- Why it matters: Parton’s refusal to “act her age” challenges stereotypes about aging and creativity
Dolly Parton is marking her 80th birthday by doubling down on the belief that age is just a number. The country icon, who postponed her Las Vegas residency in September citing unspecified “health challenges,” tells News Of Los Angeles she remains unstoppable as a new commemorative issue hits stands.
The Birthday Interview
“People say, ‘Well, you’re going to be 80 years old.’ Well, so what? Look at all I’ve done in 80 years. I feel like I’m just getting started,” Parton told the magazine in its November 2025 cover story, excerpts of which appear in the 128-page special edition.
She added a caveat: “I know that sounds stupid, but unless my health gives way, which right now I seem to be doing fine.”
The reassurance follows a brief health scare that forced her to cancel nine Pure & Simple Vegas shows. In an Instagram video posted Oct. 27, 2025, she told fans, “I’m okay. I love you for caring, and keep praying for me.”
On Aging, Dreams and Work Ethic
Parton rejects the notion that milestone birthdays should slow anyone down.
“If you allow yourself to get old, you will. I say, ‘I ain’t got time to get old!’ I ain’t got time to dwell on that. That’s not what I’m thinking about,” she said.
The entertainer, who estimates she has written more than 3,000 songs, approaches each day with the same curiosity that drove her from a one-room cabin in Sevierville, Tennessee, to global stardom.
“Not that anybody would want to celebrate that, but there is a celebration in the fact that I have done so much in that time and that I’m still doing it,” she noted about turning 80.
Her forward-looking mantra: “I don’t know what I’m going to be doing tomorrow. Whatever comes, I’ll give it my best.”
Career by the Numbers
Parton’s stats affirm her lasting impact:
- 11 Grammy Awards from 50 nominations
- 25 No. 1 singles on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart
- 21 gold or platinum RIAA certifications for individual tracks
- 10 Country Music Association Awards, including Entertainer of the Year (1978)
- Inductee, Country Music Hall of Fame (1999)
- Inductee, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (2022)
- 1 Academy Award nomination for Travelin’ Thru from 2005’s Transamerica
She also co-owns Sandollar Productions, whose credits include Buffalo Girls, Sabrina and Father of the Bride Part II, and operates Dollywood, the Tennessee theme park that attracts roughly 3 million visitors annually.
Inside the Special Edition
The glossy magazine, priced at $13.99, devotes pages to Parton’s:
- Songwriting process and biggest hits
- Fashion evolution, from rhinestones to waist-length wigs
- Philanthropy, including Imagination Library, which mails free books to children
- 58-year marriage to Carl Dean, who remains famously private
- Friendship with goddaughter Miley Cyrus and country peer Reba McEntire
- Business empire spanning music, film, cosmetics and hospitality
Collector-friendly features include a pull-out poster, a 20-photo timeline and a centerfold timeline of her biggest cultural moments.
A Legacy Still Unfolding
Even as she enters her ninth decade, Parton insists her story is far from over.
“I got to see my dreams come true,” she reflected. “Now I’m dreaming new dreams.”
Fans can find the News Of Los Angeles Special Edition – Dolly Parton: 80 and Still a Force of Nature at newsstands, grocery checkouts and Amazon. Digital versions are available through Apple News+ and Kindle Newsstand.
Key Takeaways
- Parton’s milestone birthday arrives alongside a keepsake magazine celebrating her life
- She remains committed to work, creativity and refusing to “act old”
- The special edition compiles rare photos, career stats and fresh quotes from the star
- Look for her return to the stage once the postponed Vegas residency is rescheduled
