Dolly Parton Remembers Her Brother Randy, Who Has Passed Away at 67
Read her heartfelt tribute to a brother and collaborator.
The brother of country icon Dolly Parton has passed away, his family has confirmed. Randy Parton died January 21 after a battle with cancer. He was 67.
The younger brother of Dolly and an entertainer, songwriter and businessman, Randy Parton joined his famous sister on a number of projects over the years, and was remembered in a heartfelt Facebook post by Parton.
“My brother Randy has lost his battle with cancer,” Dolly Parton wrote. “The family and I are grieving his loss but we know he is in a better place than we are at this time. We are a family of faith and we believe that he is safe with God and that he is joined by members of the family that have gone on before and have welcomed him with joy and open arms.”
Calling her brother “a great singer, writer, and entertainer,” Parton noted that Randy played guitar and bass in her band for many years, and had also been leading a show of his own at her Dollywood theme park since the ’80s. He charted on the Billboard Country Songs charts five times over his career, peaking with “Hold Me Like You Never Had Me” and “Shot Full of Love” in 1981, and also collaborated with Dolly multiple times.
In her remembrance, she listed the 1980 hit “Old Flames Can’t Hold A Candle To You” as a personal favorite, and also noted that Randy made an appearance her her most-recent album, A Holly Dolly Christmas. The siblings duet on the festive “You Are My Christmas,” and Dolly said she’ll always hold that memory dear.
“It was his last musical recording and he shined on it just like he’s shining in heaven now,” she wrote.
Randy Parton is survived by his wife Deb, his daughter Heidi, son Sabyn, grandsons Huston and Trent.
