Dolly Parton, the “Queen of Country” and America’s Hibari Misora, Has Died—The Surprising Fate of Her “72 Billion Yen” Estate

The White House flew its flag at half-mast

Dolly Parton, the “Queen of Country,” passed away on August 25 (local time) in Nashville, Tennessee. She was 80 years old.

In the United States, Parton was a national icon, much like Japan’s Hibari Misora. Her estate is reported to be worth approximately $450 million (about 72 billion yen), and attention is focused on the fate of the vast fortune of the “Parton Empire.”

Parton’s representative announced on August 25 that she had died of cancer, but the specific type of cancer she was battling has not been disclosed.

Parton was born on January 19, 1946, in Sevier County, Tennessee. She made her debut as a child actor on a radio program and, in 1964, moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where she took the country music world by storm as a singer-songwriter.She had massive hits such as “Jolene” (1973) and “Always Love You” (1974)—which was covered by Whitney Houston—and won 11 Grammy Awards.Her total record sales exceed 100 million copies, and she is considered one of the best-selling music artists of all time. She also had a successful career as an actress, co-starring alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in the 1980 film *9 to 5*. The theme song “9 to 5,” which she wrote herself, was a huge hit.

She was also actively involved in business ventures, such as co-managing the company that operates the “Dollywood” theme park and jointly owning a film and television production company with her manager. Through the “Dollywood Foundation,” she provided one free book per month to approximately 850,000 children in communities in the U.S., the U.K.,Canada, and Australia through the “Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library,” which provides one free book per month to approximately 850,000 children.

Upon hearing the news of Ms. Parton’s passing, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Jane Fonda, and others issued tributes one after another. Taylor Swift said,

“She encouraged people to be themselves and gave the world the ultimate mystery and fantasy with her sincerity, humor, and grace,”

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The Empire State Building in New York was lit up in pink in her memory, and the White House flew its flag at half-mast, as tributes to the national icon spread across the United States.

Amid this, attention has turned to Parton’s massive estate.

$10 million in royalties from a single song

Last year, Forbes magazine reported that Parton’s net worth was estimated at approximately $450 million (about 72 billion yen).She owns a 50% stake in “Dollywood,” the theme park named after her in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, which attracts more than 4 million visitors annually; that stake is valued at approximately $165 million (about 26.4 billion yen).Her extensive real estate holdings in Tennessee are valued at approximately $10 million (about 1.6 billion yen). Furthermore, Parton owns the publishing rights to her songs, which are also said to be worth a massive amount.

“It’s said that she has received $10 million (approximately 1.6 billion yen) in royalties from ‘Always Love You’ alone.It has been reported that the value of the approximately 3,000 songs Ms. Parton left behind is estimated to total about $120 million (approximately 19.2 billion yen),” said a Hollywood insider.

According to Page Six, details on how Parton’s massive estate will be divided—and who will ultimately take control of the various parts of the “Parton Empire”—may remain private for some time.

A Los Angeles-based estate planning expert told the website,

“Since Dolly Parton has no biological children, it’s difficult to predict who she intended to leave her estate to,”

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“Ms. Parton was widowed last year from Carl Thomas Dean, an asphalt paver she married in 1966. The couple had no biological children.She grew up in a large family as the fourth of 12 children, and six of her siblings are still alive. It has been reported that Parton’s relatives, including her sisters Kathy and Rachel, will not engage in a legal battle over the estate,” said the Hollywood insider mentioned earlier.

The British newspaper *Daily Mail* reported, citing a source, that the majority of Parton’s estate is expected to be donated to charitable organizations, ensuring the continuation of the charitable work that played such a vital role in her life. The source added:

“I believe she was just as talented in business as she was in music, and since I think she treated all her relatives very fairly, I don’t see any disputes arising among them,”

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Parton left a significant legacy through a wide range of activities, including numerous hit songs, film appearances, co-ownership of a theme park, and charitable work. If there is to be no dispute over her massive estate, this seems like yet another story befitting the “Queen of Country,” who was so beloved by the public.