Dolly Parton’s Brother and Songwriting Partner Floyd Estel Parton Dies at 61: Reports

Dolly Parton and Keith Urban perform onstage at the 2010 We're All For The Hall benefit concert at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, on Oct. 5, 2010. Rick Diamond/Getty Images

Dolly Parton, the singer, said her brother and longtime songwriter Floyd Parton died at the age of 61.

“Dolly, and the entire Parton Family, wish to thank everyone for their kindness,” a spokesman for Parton told Fox News. “Yesterday, we laid our sweet baby brother to rest.”

“We all sang his lovely song ‘Rocking Years’ together as a family at the service to say goodbye to him,” the statement added. “He lived a short life of love and beautiful songs.”

The Parton family noted that fans could make a donation the My People Senior Activity Center in Sevierville, Tennessee, in his honor.

“A renaissance man, Floyd was a man of many talents and areas of knowledge,” said an obituary from the Atchley Funeral Home about Floyd. “He was an avid outdoorsman and had an abundant knowledge of nature as well as being an incredible cook.”

Floyd Parton helped write Dolly’s No. 1 hits, including the 1991 duet “Rockin’ Years” with Ricky Van Shelton as well as 1978’s “Nickels and Dimes.”

No cause of death has yet been revealed for her brother.

Parton is currently in the middle of promoting the soundtrack to the Netflix drama “Dumplin.”

Parton, 72, recently said she is grateful to be alive. She said, “It’ll happen when it happens. That’s how I feel. I am grateful that I am still here. So many people have more talent than I’ve ever dreamed of having that never get to see dreams come true,” according to The Associated Press.

“There’s a whole lot to be said for loving your work and having confidence in yourself. I never once thought of retiring,” she added. “I just hope I fall dead in the middle of a song, hopefully, one I wrote, right on stage. That’s the way I go!”

Parton, who has been married to her husband Carl Thomas Dean since 1966, said she would stop if her husband needed her.

“If my husband needed me, or someone in my family, I would put him first. I’ve always put myself first and my career first, but if something were to happen to him, I would pull back on that,” she added.

Floyd Parton is survived by sisters his Dolly, Rachel, Willadeene, 78, Stella, 69, Cassie, 67, and Freida, 61, People magazine reported. He’s also survived by brothers David, 76, Coy Denver, 75, Bobby, 70, and Randy, 64.