American country music icon Dolly Parton has been buried in Nashville, Tennessee, following a private funeral, three days after she passed away at the age of 80 from a brief battle with cancer.

Ms Parton’s great-niece, Lainey Parton, confirmed the news on Instagram with photos of her with the late country music legend, adding that she was buried last Friday.

She said, “This is a really hard post for me to make. I wanted to wait until after my granny was laid to rest yesterday before I tried to put any of this into words.

“From the time I was little, my granny always had a way of making me feel like I was enough. She never made my dreams feel too big or made me feel like I couldn’t do something. She believed in me before I even knew how to believe in myself.

“Most people can think of at least one bad memory with everyone in their family. I honestly can’t think of one with her. Because she couldn’t have kids of her own, she always made us feel like we were hers. She loved us that way, and I’ll forever be grateful for that.”

She also recalled how the late music star supported her when she chose to enrol in beauty school instead of pursuing a college degree.

The music icon was laid to rest next to her late husband, Carl Dean, at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville.

Fans gathered at her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to pay their last respects, following her death.

Top celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey, Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney and Beyoncé, also honoured the late country music star.