The world stopped when news spread that the "Queen of Country," Dolly Parton, had died. On Tuesday, Aug. 25, her family announced that the music icon died after a brief battle with cancer.
Actor Tim Curry, known for "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and the 1990 version of "It," died the same day.
Earlier this month, beloved actress Hayden Panettiere, known for her film and TV roles, including "Nashville," "Ice Princess" and "Bring It On: All or Nothing," died on Aug. 16, leaving fans emotional.
In June, the hip-hop and R&B community mourned the death of 29-year-old Tay Keith, a Grammy-nominated producer who worked with major artists such as Drake, Beyoncé and Sexyy Red.
The year – and notably August – has brought much heartbreak when it comes to
losing beloved famous faces. Here is a list of other celebrities and notable figures who have died this year.
Notable figures who died in 2026
Music
- Bob Weir
- Yeison Jimenez
- Billy Bass Nelson
- Neil Sedaka
- "Country Joe" McDonald
- Frank Beard
- Bonnie Tyler
- Ronald LaPread
- Nedra Talley
- John Forté
- Rob Base
- Clive Davis
Actors, reality stars
- Eric Dane
- Demond Wilson
- Chuck Norris
- T.K. Carter
- Kianna Underwood
- Christy Knowings
- Catherine O'Hara
- Bud Cort
- James Van Der Beek
- Robert Duvall
- Robert Carradine
- James Tolkan
- Donald Gibb
- Sam Neill
- Hal Williams
- Vincent Pastore
- Patrick Muldoon
- Michael Pennington
- Tedde Moore
- Tyler Duckworth
- Dee Freman
- Kiki Shepard
- Judy Pace
- Robert Cosby Jr.
- Kaylee Hottle
Politicians, leaders, athletes
- Rev. Jesse Jackson
- Activist Claudette Colvin
- Sen. Lindsey Graham
- Author Scott Adams
- Baseball player and manager Bobby Cox
- Turner Enterprises CEO Ted Turner
- Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke
- Former MLB player Tommy John
- Afrosheen creator George E. Johnson
Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Celebrities who have died in 2026, including Dolly Parton
