Dolly Parton’s youngest brother, Randy Parton, died at age 67 after losing his battle with cancer, the revered singer announced via Facebook on Thursday.
“The family and I are grieving his loss but we know he is in a better place than we are at this time,” Dolly, who celebrated her 75th birthday earlier this week, wrote. “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 went on to praise her brother’s musical talents, which included singing, playing guitar and bass in her band, as well as heading up his own show at Dollywood.
“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,” she wrote.
Dolly said of their final duet, 2020’s “You Are My Christmas,” that Randy “shined on it just like he’s shining in heaven now.”
“He is survived by his wife Deb, his daughter Heidi, son Sabyn, grandsons Huston and Trent,” she added.
“We will always love him and he will always be in our hearts, Dolly Parton and Family.”
Randy and Dolly share 10 other siblings: Willadeene, David Wilburn, Coy Denver, Bobby Lee, Stella Mae, Cassie Nan, Larry Gerald, Floyd Estel and twins, Freida Estelle and Rachel Ann. According to Country Living, her brother Larry passed away a few days after he was born in 1955 and her brother Floyd passed away at age 61 in 2018.