Dolly Parton, country music icon, dies at 80, missed secret song reveal

Dolly Parton, the beloved country music legend, has died at the age of 80. Her family announced her passing today, noting she missed by two decades the planned 2095 reveal of a secret song she recorded in 2015. The song was intended to be heard only on her 100th birthday, a milestone she won't reach.

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I don't know if I want to live to be 100 or not. But you never know. I might. And if I do, I'm going to be at that opening.

Parton's extraordinary life began in a one-room shack in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. Born the fourth of 12 children to Avie Lee and Robert Lee Parton, she grew up without electricity, heating, or running water. Her father worked as a laborer and farmer, and her mother was a resourceful homemaker. The family's poverty was stark; the doctor who delivered Dolly was paid with a sack of cornmeal. Her mother taught her early on that "wealth is not measured by a dollar," a lesson that shaped Parton's perspective throughout her life.

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Wealth is not measured by a dollar

Even before learning to read or write, Parton was a natural performer. She recalled singing to anything in her yard, using a tin can as a microphone. Her first song, written at age six, was an ode to her doll. By eight, she was seeking her big break, taking her guitar to local radio and TV stations. She became a regular on the Cas Walker Farm and Home Hour, where she met country duo Carl and Pearl Butler, who became her mentors. At age 10, she released her first record, "Puppy Love," and with her Uncle Bill Owens, began weekend trips to Nashville to perform and write, collaborating with established artists.

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I'd put a tin can on a stick as my microphone and pretend the front porch was my stage. Then I'd sing to whatever was in the front yard, human, animal or dirt