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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Randy Parton, brother to Dolly Parton, has died after a battle with cancer. He was 67.

Dolly Parton made the announcement in a social media post just before 10 a.m. Thursday.

“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. 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.”

Dolly Parton and Family

Randy Parton is the eighth of 12 children in the family. He was a popular performer in his own right with his own show at Dollywood since it opened in 1986. He had several songs to climb the U.S. charts.

He wrote, “You Are My Christmas,” a duet performed with his sister Dolly on her Christmas album, “A Holly Dolly Christmas,” that she said “will always be a favorite.”

She also noted another duet with him — on “Old Flames Can’t Hold A Candle To You” — saying it “will always be a highlight in my own career.”

Randy Parton is survived by his wife, Deb, his daughter Heidi, son Sabyn, and grandsons Huston and Trent.