NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, August 25, 2026

Episode Date: August 26, 2026

Music legend Dolly Parton has died at 80. Tom Llamas and the NBC News team look back on Parton’s cultural and philanthropic impact and the legacy she leaves behind. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tonight, America celebrating Dolly Part, the country music legend who entertained and inspired Americans for decades has passed away. A special edition of Nightly News starts right now. She was an icon, the queen of country music. One of the most beloved American stars ever. We have new details tonight about her passing, her nephew announcing the news. you will always love you. The outpouring of grief across the nation. A true loss to this world. From Hollywood to Nashville and beyond. Tonight, we remember her music. Tumble out of bed and it stumbled to the kitchen. Her performances. And that lightning fast

whip. Dash a flash, a dash of trash, and spend the cash to make a splash. How's that sound to you? Plus, her legendary philanthropy, the lives, she forever changed. She's been so good to people, done so much death for people. Tonight, we celebrate Dolly Parton, a true American origin. This is a special edition of NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas, remembering Dolly Parton. And good evening. We thank you for joining us on this Tuesday night. We begin with the country in mourning after the death of music superstar, Dolly Parton, whose family announced today, she had passed away at 80 years old.

She was quite simply an American legend, loved by young and old, left and right. For 60 years, she brought joy to her fans as a country music star in the 60s, a movie star in the 80s, and a cultural icon ever since. Tonight, an outpouring of grief like you rarely see, fans gathering at her star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame,

flowers piling up in her home state of Tennessee, even the president lowering flags to half-souths, staff across the country, this was the moment the one on top of the White House came down. She touched so many over her 80 years with her songwriting and with her generous giving. We're going to cover it all tonight, her philanthropy, her sense of humor, and of course her lasting impact. But we begin with her music. The voice, the look, the win.

Donnie Parton was an American origin. singer, songwriter, actress, philanthropist, Dolly Parton was so many things. To the world, she was simply iconic. She first hit the country charts in 1966 with the song Dumblawn. The flamboyant woman behind the music, anything but. Four years later, Joshua took her at number one. She racked up 25 number one hits and 11 Grammy.

over her career. Her first Grammy in 1979, for Here You Come Again. And then two more for the title track in the 1980 blockbuster movie, 9 to 5. That song becoming an anthem for the performer throughout her decades-long songwriting career. It's in my head. It comes to me, yeah. When you're a writer and a creative person, But I have my nails, too. What is that? My acrylic nails now. I can make, you know, that's how I wrote 9 to 5 on the set of 9 to 5.

Are you kidding? But I make music, you know, out of anything. 9 to 5 also expanded Parton's performing to the big screen. If you ever say another word about me or make another indecent proposal, I'm going to get that gun of mine, and I'm going to change you from my rooster to a hand with one shot. Dolly Parton's path to national sensation began in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains in 1946, the fourth of 12 children. She described her own upbringing as dirt poor.

In those very early days, we didn't have electricity. Those modest roots and her actual childhood coat inspired hit songs like coat of many colors. It's kind of sums up my philosophy about the hard times. It's a real special little. a little song to me. In fact, it means more to me than all the other songs I've ever written and recording. She started performing at church, and by 13, Dolly appeared at the grand old opera. Her fame growing as a regular performer on the Porter Wagoner Show. She wrote and performed more than 3,000 songs, two of her best known, coming from a single

burst of creativity. We were looking through my files to get all my old When they were putting them on the hard drive, the guy that was doing it, he said, do you realize that Jolene and I will always love you? We're on the same cassette. So that must have been a really good night. And while part and sang a version of I Will Always Love You that reached number one on country charts, it was Whitney Houston's version of the song that made history, with more than 24 million copies sold. It remains one of the best-selling singles of all time. This is the romantic part. Now, see, that's what really melts me. My butter. Parton's film career included hits like Steel Magnolias.

Welcome to Dollywood! And her business interests expanded with her own theme park built in her hometown of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Parton was married to her husband Carl Thomas Dean for 59 years before he died last year. The two never had children, but Pardon gave to kids around the world through her philanthropy, distributing free books inspired by her father who was unable to read. Today, President Trump ordered flags lowered for one week, writing there has never been anyone like her and never will. When they raised the hood on this old antique, they realized that I need to rebuild my engine and that my transmission is slipping. In recent months, Parton opened up about her health on social media.

My immune system and my digestive system got all out of whack over the past couple, three years. Parton's nephew, while not revealing the cause of death, announcing her passing today in a video. By her example, we believe that anything was possible. She never saw a door she couldn't open, and the doors she opened made and changed history. Even this year, Parton continued her work on projects, including a show coming next year to Broadway based on her life. That life, an inspiring one of a beloved artist. Dolly Parton said she did it all for the fans. I just want to be able to lift up people if I can and do something, put some joy out there.

Dali was 80 years old and across the country tonight an outpouring of love for the woman who left such an unforgettable mark on music and our culture. Ann Thompson tonight on the fans saying goodbye. Here you come again just when I'm about to get myself together. Today, the nation shed a collective tear for Dolly Parton. A true loss to this world. I just hope that we can all look to her example and do better for this world. Her statue in her hometown of Severeville, Tennessee, a gathering spot for grief, as was her star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. She was the best person in the world. Do you kidding me? In Nashville, laughter through tears. The favorite emotion.

of Parton's Steel Magnolia's character. She was a beauty. She was, she had energy. She was a humanitarian. She saw the goodness in so many things. Even online. What a sad, sad day for country music. People agreed how much they loved Dolly. Her Steel Magnolia's co-star, Sally Field, saying if there are truly angels on earth, then we have just lost one.

Reba McIntyre posting, there will never, ever be another you. The woman who loved wigs, plastic. surgery and acrylic nails tonight remembered for her genuine heart. Ann Thompson, NBC News. And Anne was right about Dolly's big heart. A huge part of her legacy will be her work as a philanthropist. Joe Fryer now with that part of Dolly's story. Dolly Parton was known for what she wore, but defined by what she gave. Hello, I'm Dolly Parton, the book lady. In the In the 90s, she created the Imagination Library, a program that mailed free books to kids, telling me it was inspired by her father who couldn't read or write.

And he felt very embarrassed and crippled by that, but he was so smart. And so he got to live long enough to see the Imagination Library do so well. You, of course, have a legacy in music, but this is part of your legacy, too, isn't it? I have to honestly say that I probably am as proud of this as anything I'll ever do. In 2016, when wildfires ravaged the Great Smoky Mountains, the place she grew up, Dolly gave $1,000 a month to each family that lost their home. Now, we want to provide a hand up to all those families that have lost everything in the fires. She was donating again a few years later when Hurricane Helene devastated Middle Tennessee,

raising awareness by changing the lyrics to one of her legendary songs. Helene, Helene, Helene, Helene, Helene, Helene, you came in here. and broke us all apart. She put a more positive spin on that tune when she got the COVID shot. Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine. A vaccine she helped fund by donating a million dollars to research. I'm just happy that it can help somebody else. And when I donated the money to the COVID fund, I just wanted it to do good.

A life of good for Dolly philanthropy extended far beyond nine to five. Joe Fryer, NBC News. And as we continue to remember Dolly tonight, I want to bring in today's show anchor and our good friend Carson Daly, who's covered the music industry for years. Carson, they say that the true test of an artist is if they can stand the test of time, and that was Dolly part. Absolutely. One of the greatest American songwriters outside of country music. We're talking about there was country music before Dolly that was regional. It was radio airplay. It was walled off from mainstream. And then there was country music after Dolly, the movies, the crossover hits, the TV specials, Cover of Rolling Stone, she absolutely broke the walls down for people to come. Jolene, I Will Always Love You, whether it was her fingernails or her guitar.

She wrote incredible songs. You know, it's really rare. I Will Always Love You was a song that she wrote for the passing of her mentor. Of course, Whitney came along and made it the juggernaut that we all know that it is today. But it's rare that it would, it's a song that was a big hit for one artist who wrote it. And then it became another defining moment for another huge artist in Whitney Houston. She was a great artist. She was a great person, but she was also this great business woman.

Yeah, she was incredible. She owned, again, all of her own master. She had Dollywood. She put jobs in Tennessee when they needed it. There's a children's hospital now in Tennessee named after her. 250 million kids in America got their hands on free books because her father couldn't read her right. She was inspired by that in 1995. She was an influencer in all the right ways way before social media.

Carson, we thank you for being here tonight. Thanks, Tom. All right, we're going to have more on Dolly's legacy later in the show. But when we return in 60 seconds, wildfires out of control, the new evacuations tonight. And our first look at some of the dozens of homes destroyed. Plus measles deaths in America where the first two deadly cases of the year happened. And the alarming new research, the red flags about the dangers of football. Stay with us.

We're back tonight with the massive wildfire burning out of control in Texas. Families urge to evacuate as we get our first up-close look at some of the homes destroyed by that fire in Reno. Liz Croyce is in the fire zone tonight. Tonight in Texas, the fast-moving Ross fire exploding in size west of Fort Worth. It's just flames. Already consuming more than 75 square miles. Firefighters battling extreme heat, temperatures in the triple digits. Powerful wind swirling embers.

Hundreds of residents urged to evacuate. This building fully engulfed. And here in Reno, Nevada, where the hawk fire has damaged or destroyed more than 50 homes and structures, we're getting a firsthand look at what those flames have taken from families here. You can see some of the destruction here. This was once a two-story home. flames just tore through it. The framing of the garage now, the only thing still standing. Two doors down, Scott Hayes forced to flee as the fire approached. Here we are. This is home.

What's left of it? Returning to discover most of his home destroyed by the fire, along with priceless memories. His son Jeremy died of cancer at 30. His room had been preserved just as he left it, until the fire consumed it. You know, trying to sit through all that stuff. Because you can't Keep every little note, you know, everything he had. We never got her to have been any of it. And now it's gone. Ricardo Arante recorded these harrowing videos as he escaped the flames. I felt like I was going. I could die.

Losing his home of 20 years and now forced to figure out what's next. He says he didn't have insurance. You're not getting any insurance money. No one's paying me. No one's giving me anything. People in this community reeling as officials warned fire season is far from over. Liz, those last two stories so painful for those victims, we see that destruction there behind you. Are these families getting any relief?

Well, Tom, the good news is that this fire has not grown in size in the past 24 hours, and many of the neighborhoods that were evacuated like this one have now reopened. But yet you can just see all of this damage. And officials say they're again expecting that critical fire weather tomorrow through the weekend, Tom. Liz Croyton and her team amid all that destruction. We moved out of that alarming study just, says the NFL season is set to kick off, finding one in four NFL players who died during a five-year span had the brain disease known as CTE.

Morgan Chesky joins us now. And Morgan, researchers say the numbers could be even higher than that? Yeah, Tom, that's right. And this study focused on nearly 900 former NFL players who died from 2016 to 2021. The lead doctor telling me, one in four NFL players had CTE, which is linked to those repeated head injuries. And he says others who died of dementia likely suffered from CTE. as well. Now, these were all players who left the NFL prior to some of the league's more recent

modifications, including those helmet redesigns. The NFL responding to the study saying it continuously strives to make the game of football safer, including by implementing strategies to reduce concussions and head impacts. And tonight, the doctor tells me that the majority of these head impacts happen during practice. So by reducing contact, it can improve safety at all levels of football here. Tom? In practice, that's stunning. Okay, Morgan, we thank you. We're back at a moment with the two deaths from measles in Pennsylvania, the first in America this year. We're back now with the U.S. marking its first measles deaths this year. Officials in Pennsylvania reporting two unvaccinated people have died in their state. It is unclear of their ages.

The U.S. has confirmed more than 2,700 cases of measles this year spanning 46 states plus Washington, D.C. Canada hitting back in that trade war with the U.S. announcing retaliatory tariffs on American imports, including dairy products and electronics. President Trump earlier hit Canada with tariffs on items like hockey sticks and paper, calling it a response to Canadian trade barriers. The president also threatening to change the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America. Overseas CIA Director John Ratcliffe making a surprise trip to Moscow, a source with knowledge of the matter declining to say who Ratcliffe met with on the unannounced trip or the focus of those talks, it's Ratcliffe's first known trip there as CIA director. The agency also declined to comment.

When we come back, beyond her timeless songs, Dolly always said it best. Her immoral words next. Finally tonight, the signature sound of Dolly Parton. Her music was legendary. Her voice uniquely powerful. But she was also beloved for her sense of humor. Tonight, Dolly Parton, in her own words and music. My coat of that my mom so proudly although he had no money

I was rich as I could be in my maid for me I've been as poor as anybody could be so I had everything to gain nothing to lose so I just kind of work without fear because it's fun for me Oh, Leroy is more than trouble he stands about six foot four

Back night was a dash of flash, a dash of trash, and spend the cash to make a splash. How's that sound to you? Comedy is part of our being because it's kind of what helps you through the hard times growing up. I saw an ad the other day that said, you too can look like Dolly Parton for only $500. Boy, I wish I'd have seen that ad before I dished out the millions. It caused me to look like Dollar Park. I am a girl of many colors. I really am.

You've got to always be grateful. What do you close with? Well, actually, do it a little bit of I will always love you. That's the way I close all my shows have for many, many years. And we will always love you, Dolly, one of a kind. All right, that's nightly news for this Tuesday. I'm Tom Yamas. We thank you so much for watching.

Tonight and always. We're here for you. Good night. So with patches on my bridges and holes in both...