Dolly Parton brother Randy

Country music legend Dolly Parton needs our prayers right now. She just lost her younger brother Randy, 67, to cancer.

Dolly Parton’s Brother Dies

Dolly revealed Randy’s death in a lengthy Facebook post in which she paid tribute to the brother that she loved.

“My brother Randy has lost his battle with cancer,” Dolly 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. Randy was a great singer, writer, and entertainer.”

Related: Miranda Lambert Has Special Birthday Message For Dolly Parton’s 75th

“He sang, played guitar and bass in my band for many years,” she added. “He headed his own show at Dollywood since it opened in 1986. He’s had several chart records of his own, but his duet with me on ‘Old Flames Can’t Hold A Candle To You’ will always be a highlight in my own career. ‘You Are My Christmas,’ our duet on my latest Christmas album, joined with his daughter Heidi, will always be a favorite.”

“It was his last musical recording and he shined on it just like he’s shining in heaven now,” Dolly concluded. “He is survived by his wife Deb, his daughter Heidi, son Sabyn, grandsons Huston and Trent. We will always love him and he will always be in our hearts.”

He also sang on the soundtrack to the 1984 film “Rhinestone,” which starred Dolly Parton.

Dolly’s Large Family

Born in 1953, Randy was the eighth of 12 children born to Robert and Avie Lee, with Dolly being their fourth, according to Taste Of Country.

Their brother Larry passed away in 1955, just a few days after he was born, and their brother Floyd died in 2018 at the age of 61.

Related: Dolly Parton’s Brother Floyd Parton Dies at 61-Years-Old

Dolly Reminisces About Growing Up With Her Siblings

Dolly has often reminisced fondly about growing up with her 11 siblings in Tennessee.

“My memories of growing up in Tennessee include memories of all of us kids, memories of singing and church; chores that I never really liked; misty mountains and laughter – yet still dreaming of seeing what the world held for me outside of my mountain home,” she once told The Guardian. “Of course, not everything was perfect but I prefer to remember the best of times.” 

“It was crowded! With that many brothers and sisters there was plenty of teasing and fighting but we were all in it together,” Dolly added. “Outside was always important because the cabin was too small to sit in there with all of those 12 kids. Outside was just an extension of our house and there was where we often ate, played games and music and did our chores.”

Please join us in saying a prayer for the entire Parton family during this difficult time. 

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