Dolly Parton's Brother Randy Dies of Cancer at 67: 'He's Shining in Heaven Now'

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Dolly Parton's brother, Randy Parton, has died after facing cancer. He was 67.

On Thursday morning, the country legend, 75, revealed that her younger brother died in a heartfelt statement shared to Facebook, where she wrote that Randy is "shining in heaven now." The sad news comes just two days after she celebrated her birthday.

"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 began her statement. "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."

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Detailing that her brother "was a great singer, writer, and entertainer," Dolly continued, "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."

Parton wrote that her duet with him "You Are My Christmas" featuring his daughter Heidi, "will always be a favorite."

"It was his last musical recording and he shined on it just like he's shining in heaven now," she wrote.

Randy, who was the eighth of the 12 Parton siblings, was born on Dec. 15, 1953 in Sevierville, Tennessee.

Alongside playing for his sister's band and having his own show at Dollywood, Randy also crafted a few songs that hit the Top 40 airplay chart, including "Hold Me Like You Never Had Me" and "Shot Full of Love," according to Taste of Country.

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"I just really stay alive because I just live on creative and spiritual energy," said the country music legend

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Back in 2018, Dolly spoke fondly about her holiday traditions with her brothers and sisters as she reminisced making dumplings with her family.

"I'm the best! It's my favorite dish, of all my brothers and sisters — because I cook just like my mom," she told Entertainment Weekly. "My mom's dead now, but everybody else, they put too much butter, too much lard, they won't do this and that. But I still cook good!"

"I make the best dumplings ever, ever, ever. I even make little containers of it and give to my brothers and sisters for Christmas," she added. "I usually cook a big, big pot, and then I'll always have some for them to take home and freeze and thaw out and eat when they get to missin' me."

Randy is the latest of the music legend's siblings to die in recent years, following Floyd Parton, who died in December 2018 at 61.

Randy is survived by his wife Deb, his daughter Heidi, son Sabyn and grandsons Huston and Trent, according to Dolly's social media post.