Country icon Dolly Parton recently revealed that her brother Randy has passed away after his battle with cancer, a report said.
"He's shining in heaven now," Dolly Parton said in a Facebook post regarding the passing of her younger brother and Dollywood's longtime show host, Randy.
"He has left a lasting legacy at Dollywood with his talent, his creativity and his leadership," said Paige Bales, director of Dollywood entertainment.
Randy Parton's battle with cancer ended on January 21, a month after his 67th birthday. Friends and fans extended their condolences to his wife Deb, daughter Heidi, son Sabyn, and grandsons Huston and Trent.
"My brother Randy has lost his battle with cancer. The family and I are grieving his loss but we know he is in a better place than we are at this time," Dolly Parton wrote in her Facebook post Thursday.
"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" added the beloved country music artist.
The "Coat of Many Colors" singer described her brother as a "great singer, writer, and entertainer."
"He sang, played guitar and bass in my band for many years. 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," listed the country music star in her virtual eulogy for Randy Parton.
Their last duet and Randy's final recorded song, "You are My Christmas" was included in Dolly Parton's 2020 Christmas album, "A Holly Dolly Christmas."
"He was born around Christmas time and he was our Christmas baby," Parton told The Tennessean.
"We always called him 'Christmas' just for fun. ... I just thought, well, I'm gonna write a song for him to sing with me."
A Brief Look at Randy Lee Parton
Randy was the eighth of the twelve children born to Robert and Avie Lee Parton.
Like his big sister Dolly, Randy entered the world of the entertainment industry. He recorded and released several songs throughout the '70s and' 80s before finally becoming a mainstay performer at Dollywood.
Between 2007 and 2008, Randy opened his own theater in North Carolina where he also showcased his talents.
Not Losing Faith
Dolly Parton has always been open about her family's humble beginnings back at Tennessee's Smoky Mountains. They have worked hard in their careers but their success, according to Parton, boils down to faith.
"We grew up in the church and my grandpa was a Pentecostal preacher," Parton told The Christian Post.
"So healing and praying and being anointed and all that stuff, that was nothing new to us, 'cause we survived because of our faith in God to get us through and all that."
Since there will be no public service, Parton encourages those wishing to pay tribute to Randy to make a donation to the Imagination Library, a non-profit org that gifts books to children for free.
My brother Randy has lost his battle with cancer. The family and I are grieving his loss but we know he is in a better...
Posted by Dolly Parton on Thursday, January 21, 2021
