Country music legend Dolly Parton has been farewelled in a private funeral attended by family members in Nashville, three days after her death aged 80.

Parton, who died on Tuesday following a “brief battle with cancer”, was laid to rest at Nashville’s Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum, where she is buried beside her husband Carl Dean, who died in March 2025.

Her niece Lainey Parton confirmed the private ceremony in an emotional tribute, describing the singer as a deeply supportive presence throughout her life.

“This is a really hard post for me to make. I wanted to wait until after my granny was laid to rest yesterday before I tried to put any of this into words,” she wrote on social media.

Lainey said Parton had always encouraged her to pursue her dreams and made her feel accepted.

“From the time I was little, my granny always had a way of making me feel like I was enough. She never made my dreams feel too big or made me feel like I couldn’t do something. She believed in me before I even knew how to believe in myself.”

She also recalled how Parton supported her decision to pursue a career in beauty, including financially helping her through beauty school.

“When I told her I wanted to go to beauty school, she never questioned why I wasn’t going to college. She told me she couldn’t see me doing anything else. She financially supported me through school and helped me get my career started,” Lainey said.

“She didn’t just tell me to chase my dreams, she helped me get there.”

Lainey also remembered a special opportunity to perform alongside her aunt on Parton’s Smoky Mountain DNA album when she was a teenager.

“One memory I’ll always hold onto is when she asked me to sing with her on her @smokymountaindna album. I was a freshman in high school and SO nervous,” she said.

“But she had a way of making me feel like nothing bad could happen. She made me feel safe, confident, and like I belonged right there beside her.“

Parton’s death has prompted tributes from across the music industry and from fans around the world, with her family now mourning the loss privately.

Lainey said Parton’s death still did not feel real and reflected on the everyday moments she would miss.

“I’m going to miss her voice, her laugh, her hugs, and just knowing she was there,” she said.

“I’m even going to miss those 4am calls, and I’d give anything to see her name pop up on my phone again.”

Parton is survived by her siblings and extended family.

Image: Instagram