Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman. After achieving success as a songwriter for other artists, Parton's debut album,Hello, I'm Dolly, was released in 1967, commencing a career spanning 60 years and50 studio albums. Referred to as the "Queen of Country", Parton is one of the most-honored female country performers of all time and has receivedvarious accolades, including elevenGrammy Awards and threeEmmy Awards, as well as nominations for twoAcademy Awards, sixGolden Globe Awards, and aTony Award.
Outside of her work in the music and film industries, Parton co-ownsThe Dollywood Company, which manages a number of entertainment venues including theDollywood theme park, theSplash Country water park and a number ofdinner theater venues such as The Dolly Parton Stampede and Pirates Voyage. She has founded a number of charitable and philanthropic organizations, chief among them being theDollywood Foundation, who manage a number of projects to bring education and poverty relief toEast Tennessee, where she was raised.
Dolly Rebecca Parton was born on January 19, 1946, in a two-roomlog cabin[7] on the banks of theLittle Pigeon River inPittman Center, Tennessee.[8] She is the fourth of 12 children born to Avie Lee Caroline (née Owens; 1923–2003) and Robert Lee Parton Sr. (1921–2000). Parton's middle name comes from her maternal great-great-grandmother Rebecca (née Dunn) Whitted.[9] Parton's father, known as "Lee", worked in the mountains ofEast Tennessee, first as asharecropper and later tending his own smalltobacco farm and acreage. He also worked construction jobs to supplement the farm's small income. Despite her father'silliteracy, Parton has often commented that he was one of the smartest people she has ever known with regard to business and making a profit.[10][11][12]
Parton's mother cared for their large family. Her 11 pregnancies (the tenth being twins) in 20 years made her a mother of 12 by age 35. Parton attributes her musical abilities to the influence of her mother; often in poor health, she still managed to keep house and entertain her children withSmoky Mountainfolklore and ancientballads. HavingWelsh ancestors, Avie Lee knew many old ballads thatimmigrants from the British Isles brought to southernAppalachia in the 18th and 19th century.[failed verification][13][14] Avie Lee's father, Jake Owens, was aPentecostal preacher and Parton and her siblings all attended church regularly. Parton has long credited her father for her business savvy and her mother's family for her musical abilities. When Parton was a young girl, her family moved from thePittman Center area to a farm up on nearby Locust Ridge. Most of her cherished memories of youth happened there. Today, a replica of the Locust Ridge cabin resides at Parton's namesake theme parkDollywood.[15] The farm acreage and surrounding woodland inspired her to write the song "My Tennessee Mountain Home" in the 1970s. Years after the farm was sold, Parton bought it back in the late 1980s. Her brother Bobby helped with building restoration and new construction.[10]
Parton has described her family as being "dirt poor".[16] Parton's father paidmissionary Dr. Robert F. Thomas with a sack of cornmeal for delivering her.[17] Parton would write a song about Dr. Thomas when she was grown.[18] She also outlined her family's poverty in her early songs "Coat of Many Colors" and "In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)". For six or seven years, Parton and her family lived in their rustic, one-bedroom cabin on their smallsubsistence farm on Locust Ridge.[19] This was a predominantly Pentecostal area located north of theGreenbrier Valley of the Great Smoky Mountains.Music played an important role in her early life. She was brought up in theChurch of God (Cleveland, Tennessee),[20] in a congregation her grandfather, Jake Robert Owens, pastored. Her earliest public performances were in the church, beginning at age six. At seven, she started playing a homemade guitar. When she was eight, her uncle bought Dolly her first real guitar.[21][22] The Parton family was well-fed despite their poverty and her 2024 cookbookGood Lookin' Cookin' (co-written with her sisterRachel) recalls numerous family meals.[23] After graduating fromSevier County High School in 1964, Parton moved toNashville the next day.[10][24]
Parton's initial success came as a songwriter, having signed withCombine Publishing shortly after her arrival.[28] Along with her frequent songwriting partner, uncleBill Owens, she wrote several charting singles during this time, including two Top10 hits forBill Phillips: "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" and "The Company You Keep" (1966). She also wroteSkeeter Davis's number 11 hit "Fuel to the Flame" (1967).[29] Her songs were recorded by many other artists during this period, includingKitty Wells andHank Williams Jr.[30] At 19, She signed withMonument Records in 1965, where she was initially pitched as abubblegum pop singer. She released a string of singles, but the only one that charted, "Happy, Happy Birthday Baby", did not crack theBillboard Hot 100. Although she expressed a desire to record country material, Monument resisted, thinking her unusually highsoprano voice was not suited to the genre.[31]
After her uncredited composition of "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" with Bill Phillips went to number six on the country chart in 1966, the label relented and allowed her to record country. Her first country single, "Dumb Blonde", composed byCurly Putman, reached number 24 on the country chart in 1967, followed by "Something Fishy", which went to number 17. The two songs appeared on her first full-length album,Hello, I'm Dolly.[32]
In 1967, musician and country music entertainerPorter Wagoner invited Parton to joinThe Porter Wagoner Show, offering her a regular spot on his weeklysyndicated television program and in his road show. As documented in her 1994 autobiography,[33] much of Wagoner's audience was initially unhappy that Parton had replaced previous performerNorma Jean, who had left the show, sometimes chanting loudly for Norma Jean from the audience.[34] With Wagoner's assistance however, Parton was eventually accepted. Wagoner convinced his label,RCA Victor, to sign her. RCA decided to protect their investment by releasing her first single as aduet with Wagoner. That song, a remake ofTom Paxton's "The Last Thing on My Mind", released in late 1967, reached the country Top10 in January 1968, launching a six-year streak of virtually uninterrupted Top10 singles for the pair.
Parton's first solo single for RCA Victor, "Just Because I'm a Woman", was released in the summer of 1968 and was a moderate chart hit, reaching number 17. For the next two years, none of her solo efforts – even "In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)", which later became a standard – were as successful as her duets with Wagoner. The duo was namedVocal Group of the Year in 1968 by theCountry Music Association, but Parton's solo records were continually ignored. Wagoner had a significant financial stake in her future; as of 1969, he was her co-producer and owned nearly half of Owe-Par,[35] the publishing company Parton had founded with Bill Owens.
By 1970, both Parton and Wagoner had grown frustrated by her lack of solo chart success. Wagoner persuaded Parton to recordJimmie Rodgers' "Mule Skinner Blues", agimmick that worked. The record shot to number three, followed closely by her first number-one single, "Joshua" in February 1971. For the next two years, she had numerous solo hits in addition to her duets, including her signature song, "Coat of Many Colors" (number four, 1971). Further Top20 singles included "The Right Combination" and "Burning the Midnight Oil" (both duets with Wagoner, 1971); "Lost Forever in Your Kiss" (with Wagoner), "Touch Your Woman" (1972), "My Tennessee Mountain Home" and "Travelin' Man" (1973).[36]
Although her solo singles and the Wagoner duets were successful, her biggest hit of this period was "Jolene". Released in late 1973, the song topped the country chart in February 1974 and reached the lower regions of the Hot 100. It also eventually charted in the U.K., reaching number seven in 1976, representing Parton's first U.K. success. Parton, who had always envisioned a solo career, made the decision to leave Wagoner's show and she stopped appearing in mid-1974. The pair performed their last duet concert in April 1974, although they remained affiliated, with Wagoner helping to produce her records through 1975.[33] Their final release as a duo was 1975'sSay Forever You'll Be Mine.[37]
In 1974, her song, "I Will Always Love You", written about her professional break from Wagoner, went to number one on the country chart. Around the same time,Elvis Presley indicated that he wanted to record the song. Parton was interested until Presley's manager,Colonel Tom Parker, told her that it was standard procedure for the songwriter to sign over half of the publishing rights to any song recorded by Presley.[38] Parton refused. That decision has been credited with helping to make her many millions of dollars in royalties from the song over the years. Parton had three solo singles reach number one on the country chart in 1974 ("Jolene", "I Will Always Love You" and "Love Is Like a Butterfly"), as well as the duet with Porter Wagoner, "Please Don't Stop Loving Me". Parton again topped the singles chart in 1975 with "The Bargain Store".[39] In a 2019 episode of theSky Arts music seriesBrian Johnson: A Life on the Road, Parton described finding old cassette tapes later on in her career and discovered that she had composed both "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You" in the same songwriting session. As she told Johnson, "Buddy, that was a good night!"
Between 1974 and 1980, Parton had a series of country hits, with eight singles reaching number one. Her influence on pop culture is reflected by the many performers covering her songs, including mainstream and crossover artists such asOlivia Newton-John,Emmylou Harris andLinda Ronstadt.[33]
Parton began to embark on a high-profile crossover campaign, attempting to aim her music in a more mainstream direction and increase her visibility outside of the confines of country music. In 1976, she began working closely withSandy Gallin, who served as her personal manager for the next 25 years. With her 1976 albumAll I Can Do, which she co-produced with Porter Wagoner, Parton began taking more of an active role in production and began specifically aiming her music in a more mainstream, pop direction. Her first entirely self-produced effort,New Harvest...First Gathering (1977), highlighted her pop sensibilities, both in terms of choice of songs and production: the album contained covers of the pop and R&B classics "My Girl" and "Higher and Higher".[40] Though the album was well received and topped the U.S. country albums chart, neither it nor its single "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" made much of an impression on the pop charts.
AfterNew Harvest's disappointing crossover performance, Parton turned to high-profile pop producerGary Klein for her next album. The result, 1977'sHere You Come Again, became her first million-seller, topping the country album chart and reaching number 20 on the pop chart. TheBarry Mann-Cynthia Weil-pennedtitle track topped the country singles chart and became Parton's first Top10 single on the pop chart (no.3). A second single, the double A-sided "Two Doors Down"/"It's All Wrong, But It's All Right" topped the country chart and crossed over to the pop Top20. For the remainder of the 1970s and into the early 1980s, many of her subsequent singles moved up on both charts simultaneously. Her albums during this period were developed specifically for pop-crossover success.[41]
Parton served as one of three co-hosts (along withRoy Clark andGlen Campbell) on the CBS specialFifty Years of Country Music. In 1979, Parton hosted theNBC specialThe Seventies: An Explosion of Country Music, performed live at theFord Theatre inWashington, D.C. and whose audience included PresidentJimmy Carter. Her commercial success grew in 1980, with three consecutive country chart number-one hits: theDonna Summer-written "Starting Over Again", "Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You" and "9to5", which topped the country and pop charts in early 1981.[33] She had another Top10 single that year with "Making Plans" from the 1980album with Porter Wagoner,[42] released as part of a lawsuit settlement between the pair.
The theme song to the 1980 feature film9to5, in which she starred withJane Fonda andLily Tomlin, not only reached number one on the country chart, but also on the pop and theadult-contemporary charts in February 1981, giving her a triple number-one hit. Parton became one of the few female country singers to have a number-one single on the country and pop charts simultaneously. It also received a nomination for anAcademy Award for Best Original Song. Her singles continued to appear consistently in the country Top10. Between 1981 and 1985, she had twelve Top10 hits, with half of them hitting number one. She continued to make inroads on the pop charts as well. A re-recorded version of "I Will Always Love You", from the feature filmThe Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982) scraped the Top50 that year and her duet withKenny Rogers, "Islands in the Stream" (written by theBee Gees and produced byBarry Gibb), spent two weeks at number one in 1983.[33]
Along withEmmylou Harris andLinda Ronstadt, Parton releasedTrio (1987) to critical acclaim. The album revitalized Parton's music career, spending five weeks at number one onBillboard's Country Albums chart and also reached the Top10 onBillboard's Top200 Albums chart. It sold several million copies and produced four Top10 country hits, includingPhil Spector's "To Know Him Is to Love Him", which went to number one.Trio won theGrammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and was nominated for aGrammy Award for Album of the Year. After a further attempt at pop success with the albumRainbow (1987), which included the single "The River Unbroken", it was not well-received commercially, causing Parton to focus on recording country material.White Limozeen (1989) produced two number one hits in "Why'd You Come in Here Lookin' Like That" and "Yellow Roses". Although Parton's career appeared to be revived, it was actually just a brief revival before contemporary country music came in the early 1990s and moved most veteran artists off the charts.[33]
A duet withRicky Van Shelton, "Rockin' Years" (1991) reached number one, though Parton's greatest commercial fortune of the decade came when Whitney Houston recorded "I Will Always Love You" for the soundtrack of the feature filmThe Bodyguard (1992). Both the single and the album were massively successful. Parton's soundtrack album from the 1992 film,Straight Talk, however, was less successful. But her 1993 albumSlow Dancing with the Moon won critical acclaim and did well on the charts, reaching number four on the country albums chart and number 16 on theBillboard 200 album chart. It would also become Platinum certified.[43][44] She recorded "The Day I Fall in Love" as a duet withJames Ingram for the feature filmBeethoven's 2nd (1993). The songwriters Ingram,Carole Bayer Sager andClif Magness were nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song and Parton and Ingram performed the song at the awards telecast. Similar to her earlier collaborative album with Emmy-Lou Harris and Linda Ronstadt, Parton releasedHonky Tonk Angels in the fall of 1993 withLoretta Lynn andTammy Wynette.[45] It was certified asa gold album by theRecording Industry Association of America and helped revive both Wynette and Lynn's careers. Also in 1994, Parton contributed the song "You Gotta Be My Baby" to the AIDS benefit albumRed Hot + Country produced by theRed Hot Organization.[46] A live acoustic album,Heartsongs: Live from Home, featuring stripped-down versions of some of her hits, as well as some traditional songs, was released in late 1994.[47]
Parton's recorded music during the mid-to-late-1990s remained steady and somewhat eclectic. Her 1995 re-recording of "I Will Always Love You", performed as a duet withVince Gill from her albumSomething Special, won the Country Music Association'sVocal Event of the Year Award. The following year,Treasures, an album of covers of 1960s/70s hits was released and featured a diverse collection of material, including songs byMac Davis,Pete Seeger,Kris Kristofferson,Cat Stevens andNeil Young. Her recording of Stevens' "Peace Train" was later re-mixed and released as a dance single, reachingBillboard'sdance singles chart. Her 1998 country-rock albumHungry Again was made up entirely of her own compositions. Although neither of the album's two singles, "(Why Don't More Women Sing) Honky Tonk Songs" and "Salt in my Tears", charted, videos for both songs received significant airplay onCMT. A second and more contemporary collaboration with Harris and Ronstadt,Trio II, was released in early 1999. Its cover of Neil Young's song "After the Gold Rush" won aGrammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals. Parton also was inducted into theCountry Music Hall of Fame in 1999.[45]
Parton earned her second Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for "Travelin' Thru", which she wrote specifically for the feature filmTransamerica. (2005) Due to the song's (and film's) acceptance of atransgender woman, Parton received death threats.[48] She returned to number one on the country chart later in 2005 by lending her distinctive harmonies to theBrad Paisley ballad, "When I Get Where I'm Going".[45] In September 2007, Parton released her first single from her own record company, Dolly Records, titled, "Better Get to Livin'", which eventually peaked at number 48 onBillboard'sHot Country Songs chart. It was followed by the studio albumBackwoods Barbie, which was released on February 26, 2008 and reached number two on the country chart. The album's debut at number 17 on the all-genreBillboard 200 albums chart was the highest in her career.[49]Backwoods Barbie produced four additional singles, including the title track, written as part of her score for9to5: The Musical, an adaptation of her feature film. After the death ofMichael Jackson, whom Parton knew personally, she released a video in which she sombrely told of her feelings on Jackson and his death.[50][51]
On October 27, 2009, Parton released a four-CD box set,Dolly, which featured 99 songs, spanning most of her career.[52] She released her second live DVD and album,Live From London in October 2009, filmed during her sold-out 2008 concerts at London'sThe O2 Arena. On August 10, 2010, with longtime friendBilly Ray Cyrus, Parton released the albumBrother Clyde. Parton is featured on "The Right Time", which she co-wrote with Cyrus and Morris Joseph Tancredi. On January 6, 2011, Parton announced that her new album would be titledBetter Day. In February 2011, she announced that she would embark on theBetter Day World Tour on July 17, 2011, with shows in northern Europe and the U.S.[53] The album's lead-off single, "Together You and I", was released on May 23, 2011 andBetter Day was released on June 28, 2011.[54] In 2011, Parton voiced the character Dolly Gnome in the animated filmGnomeo & Juliet. On February 11, 2012, after the sudden death ofWhitney Houston, Parton stated, "Mine is only one of the millions of hearts broken over the death of Whitney Houston. I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance she did on my song and I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, 'Whitney, I will always love you. You will be missed.'"[55]
In 2013, Parton joinedLulu Roman for a re-recording of "I Will Always Love You" for Roman's album,At Last.[56] In 2013, Parton and Kenny Rogers reunited for the title song of his albumYou Can't Make Old Friends. For their performance, they were nominated at the2014 Grammy Awards forGrammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.[57] In 2014, Parton embarked on theBlue Smoke World Tour in support of her 42nd studio album,Blue Smoke.[58] The album was first released in Australia and New Zealand on January 31 to coincide with tour dates there in February and reached the Top10 in both countries. It was released in the United States on May 13 and debuted at number six on theBillboard 200 chart, making it her first Top10 album and her highest-charting solo album ever; it also reached the number two on the U.S. country chart. The album was released in Europe on June 9 and reached number two on the UK album chart. On June 29, 2014, Parton performed for the first time at the UKGlastonbury Festival, singing songs such as "Jolene", "9to5" and "Coat of Many Colors" to a crowd of more than 180,000.[59] On March 6, 2016, Parton announced that she would be embarking on a tour in support of her new album,Pure & Simple. The tour was one of Parton's biggest tours within the United States in more than 25 years.[60] 64 dates were planned in the United States and Canada, visiting the most requested markets missed on previous tours.[61]
In 2020, Parton received worldwide attention after posting four pictures, in which she showed how she would present herself on social media platformsLinkedIn,Facebook,Instagram andTwitter. The original post on Instagram[65] went viral after celebrities posted their own versions of the so-called Dolly Parton challenge on social media. On April 10, 2020, Parton re-released 93 songs from six of her classic albums:Little Sparrow,Halos & Horns,For God and Country,Better Day,Those Were The Days andLive and Well.[66] On May 27, 2020, Parton released a brand new song called "When Life Is Good Again". This song was released to help keep the spirits up of those affected by the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. She also released a music video for "When Life Is Good Again", which premiered onTime 100 talks on May 28, 2020.[67]
In early 2022, Parton was nominated for induction into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame.[75] Parton initially declined the nomination believing that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was "for the people inrock music",[76][77] but after learning that this was not the case Parton said she would accept her induction if she were chosen for the honour.[77] In May, her induction was announced and finally on November 5, 2022, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[78][79] In October 2022, Parton stated in an interview that she would no longer tour, but would continue to play live shows occasionally.[80] On December 31, 2022, Parton co-hosted NBC's New Year's specialMiley's New Year's Eve Party.[81]
On January 17, 2023, Parton announced she would release her first rock album, titledRockstar, later that year, during an interview onThe View.[82] The lead single "World on Fire" was released on May 11, 2023[83] and it went on to peak at number one a week later.[84] The album was released on November 17, 2023 and features collaborations withPaul McCartney,Ringo Starr,Sting,Elton John,Sheryl Crow,Miley Cyrus andLizzo, amongst others.[85] The album received generally positive reviews from critics and debuted at number three on theBillboard 200, becoming Parton's highest-charting solo studio album as well as topping theCountry andRock Albums charts.[86]
The soundtrack single "Gonna Be You" from the movie80 for Brady was released January 20, 2023. The song was written byDiane Warren and performed by Dolly Parton,Belinda Carlisle,Cyndi Lauper,Debbie Harry andGloria Estefan. The official music video shows Parton, Carlisle, Lauper and Estefan performing while wearing football jerseys similar to the ones worn by the women in the film, interspersed with clips from the film.[87]
On March 7, 2025, Parton released the single "If You Hadn't Been There", as a tribute to her husband, who had died a week before in the United Kingdom. The single peaked at number 21 on the sales and downloads chart components.[89]
On June 23, 2025, it was announced that Parton would be embarking on a six-dateLas Vegas residency,Dolly: Live in Las Vegas, atCaesars Palace. The run was set for December 2025,[90] but Parton postponed her residency until September 2026 due to health procedures she would be undergoing.[91]
The way I look and the way I looked then was a country girl's idea of glam, just like I wrote in my "Backwoods Barbie" song. People wanted me to change, they thought I looked cheap. But I patterned my look after the town tramp. Everybody said, "She's trash." And in my little girl mind, I thought, "Well, that's what I'm going to be when I grow up." It was really like a look I was after. I wasn't a natural beauty. So, I just like to look the way I look. I'm so outgoing inside in my personality, that I need the way I look to match all of that.
Parton had turned down several offers to pose nude forPlayboy magazine, but did appear on the cover of the October 1978 issue wearing aPlayboy bunny outfit, complete with ears. The issue featured Lawrence Grobel's extensive and candid interview with Parton, representing one of her earliest high-profile interviews with the mainstream press. The association of breasts with Parton's public image is illustrated in the naming ofDolly the sheep after her, since the sheep was cloned from a cell taken from an adult ewe'smammary gland.[93][94] InMobile, Alabama, theGeneral W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge is commonly called "the Dolly Parton Bridge" due to its arches resembling her bust.[95] The thickened appearance of the turret frontal armor of theT-72Amain battle tank led to the unofficial Army nickname "Dolly Parton"[96] and later theT-72BIs got the "Super Dolly Parton" nickname.[97]
Parton is known for having undergone considerable plastic surgery.[98][99] On a 2003 episode ofThe Oprah Winfrey Show, Winfrey asked what kind ofcosmetic surgery Parton had undergone. Parton replied that cosmetic surgery was imperative in keeping with her famous image.[episode needed]Parton has repeatedly joked about her physical image and surgeries, saying, "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap."[100] Her breasts have garnered her mentions in several songs, including "Dolly Parton's Hits" byBobby Braddock, "Marty Feldman Eyes" byBruce Baum (a parody of "Bette Davis Eyes"), "No Show Jones" byGeorge Jones andMerle Haggard and "Make Me Proud" byDrake, featuringNicki Minaj.[101] When asked about future plastic surgeries, she famously said, "If I see something sagging, bagging or dragging, I'll get it nipped, tucked or sucked."[102] Parton's feminine escapism[clarification needed] is acknowledged in her words, "Womanhood was a difficult thing to get a grip on in those hills, unless you were a man."[103] Parton said in 2012 that she had entered a Dolly Parton drag queen lookalike contest and lost.[104]
Parton, though influenced by big name stars, often credits much of her inspiration to her family and community. In her 2020 book,Songteller: My Life in Lyrics, Parton wrote of her mother, "So it was just natural for my mom to always be singing. My mother had that old-timey voice and she used to sing all these songs that were brought over from the Old World. They were English, Irish, Welsh, folk songs where people tell stories." Parton calls her mother's voice "haunting". "Lord you would feel it", she wrote.[105] Her biggest influence however was her Aunt Dorothy Jo: "People often ask me who my influences were, they think I'm going to say some big names and there were a few 'stars' I was impressed with. But my hero was my aunt Dorothy Jo, Mama's baby sister. She was not only an evangelist, she played banjo, she played guitar and she wrote some great songs."[105] Fellow singers also had an impact on Parton, describingGeorge Jones as her "all time favorite singer",[106] as well as her love for other artists such asKitty Wells,Roy Acuff andRose Maddox.[107][108]
Though unable to read sheet music, Parton can play many instruments, including: thedulcimer,autoharp,banjo,guitar,electric guitar,fiddle,piano,recorder and thesaxophone.[109] Reflecting on her multi-instrumental abilities, Parton said, "I play some of everything. I ain't that good at none of it, but I try to sell it. I really try to lay into it."[110] Parton has also used her fingernails as an instrument, most evident on her 1980 song "9 to 5", which she derived the beat from clacking her nails together while backstage on the set of the film9 to 5.[111]
Parton is a prolific songwriter, writing country music songs with strong elements offolk music and her upbringing in humble mountain surroundings, as well as reflecting her family's Christian background. Her songs "Coat of Many Colors", "I Will Always Love You" and "Jolene", among others, have become classics. On November 4, 2003, Parton was honored as aBMI Icon at the 2003 BMI Country Awards.[114]Parton has earned over 35 BMI Pop and Country Awards.[115] In 2001, she was inducted into theSongwriters Hall of Fame.[116] In a 2009 interview onCNN'sLarry King Live, she said she had written "at least 3,000" songs, having written seriously since the age of seven. Parton also said she writes something every day, be it a song or an idea.[117]
Parton's songwriting has been featured prominently in several films. In addition to the title song for9to5, she also recorded a second version of "I Will Always Love You" forThe Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982). The second version was a number one country hit and also reached number 53 on the pop charts."I Will Always Love You" has been covered by many country artists, including Linda Ronstadt onPrisoner In Disguise (1975), Kenny Rogers onVote for Love (1996) andLeAnn Rimes onUnchained Melody: The Early Years (1997). Whitney Houston also performed it onThe Bodyguard soundtrack and her version became a best-selling hit both written and performed by a female vocalist, with worldwide sales of over twelve million copies. In addition, the song has been translated into Italian and performed by the Welsh opera singerKatherine Jenkins.[118]
In June 2024, Parton announced anautobiographicalmusical about her life and career initially titledHello, I'm Dolly (named after her debut album and also a play onHello, Dolly!), with a goal of opening onBroadway in 2026 with direction byBartlett Sher. The musical, with a co-writtenbook by Parton and Maria S. Schlatter, features original songs as well as her more well-known hits. Parton also revealed that she has been working on the musical for the last decade.[125] The title was promoted asDolly: An Original Musical on December 6, coinciding with a nationwide casting call for actresses to play Parton through different stages of her life, using the hashtag #SearchForDolly on social media video posts.[126] The show opened asDolly: A True Original Musical at theBelmont University Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville in July 2025.
Parton invested much of her earnings into business ventures in her native East Tennessee, notablyPigeon Forge. She is a co-owner ofThe Dollywood Company, which operates the theme parkDollywood (a formerSilver Dollar City), adinner theater,Dolly Parton's Stampede, thewaterparkDollywood's Splash Country and the Dream More Resort and Spa, all in Pigeon Forge. Dollywood is the 24th-most-popular theme park in the United States, with three million visitors per year.[127]The Dolly Parton's Stampede business has venues inBranson, Missouri andMyrtle Beach, South Carolina. A former location inOrlando, Florida, closed in January 2008 after the land and building were sold to a developer.[128] Starting in June 2011, the Myrtle Beach location became Pirates Voyage Fun, Feast and Adventure; Parton appeared for the opening and theSouth Carolina General Assembly declared June 3, 2011, as Dolly Parton Day.[129]
On January 19, 2012, Parton's 66th birthday, Gaylord Opryland and Dollywood announced plans to open a $50million water and snow park, a family-friendly destination in Nashville that is open all year.[130] On September 29, 2012, Parton officially withdrew her support for the Nashville park due to the restructuring of Gaylord Entertainment Company after its merger with Marriott International.[131]On June 12, 2015, it was announced that the Dollywood Company had purchased the Lumberjack Feud Dinner Show in Pigeon Forge. The show, which opened in June 2011, was owned and operated by Rob Scheer until the close of the 2015 season. The new, renovated show by the Dollywood Company opened in 2016.[132]
Dolly Parton's SongTeller Hotel and Dolly's Life of Many Colors Museum
Parton announced in October 2025 that she would be opening her new SongTeller Hotel in downtown Nashville in partnership with the firm Herschend.[133] With the hotel, Parton will also be opening her new Dolly's Life of Many Colors Museum, which claims to be the "largest exhibit celebrating her life anywhere to date."[134] Advance tickets for the museum's opening in June 2026 went on sale on October 29, 2025.
Parton was a co-owner of Sandollar Productions, withSandy Gallin, her former manager. A film and televisionproduction company, it produced the documentaryCommon Threads: Stories from the Quilt (1989), which won anAcademy Award for Best Documentary Feature; the television seriesBabes (1990–91) andBuffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003); and the feature filmsFather of the Bride (1991),Father of the Bride: Part II (1995)Straight Talk (1992) (in which Parton starred) andSabrina (1995), among other shows. In a 2009 interview, singerConnie Francis revealed that Parton had been contacting her for years in an attempt to film the singer's life story. Francis turned down Parton's offers, as she was already in negotiations with singerGloria Estefan to produce the film, a collaboration now ended.[135] After the retirement of her partner, Sandy Gallin, Parton briefly operated Dolly Parton's Southern Light Productions and in 2015 she announced her new production company would be called Dixie Pixie Productions and produce the movies-of-week in development with NBC Television andMagnolia Hill Productions.[136]
In addition to her performing appearances onThe Porter Wagoner Show in the 1960s and into the 1970s, her two self-titled television variety shows in the1970s and1980s and onAmerican Idol in 2008 and other guest appearances, Parton has had television roles. In 1979, she received an Emmy award nomination as "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Variety Program" for her guest appearance in aCher special.[137] During the mid-1970s, Parton wanted to expand her audience base. Although her first attempt, the television variety showDolly! (1976–77), had high ratings, it lasted only one season, with Parton requesting to be released from her contract because of the stress it was causing on hervocal cords. (She later tried a second television variety show, also titledDolly (1987–88); it too lasted only one season).
In late 1981, Parton began filming her second film, themusical filmThe Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982).[21] The film earned her a second nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.[139] The film was greeted with positive critical reviews and became a commercial success, earning over $69million worldwide. After a two-year hiatus from films, Parton was teamed withSylvester Stallone forRhinestone (1984), a comedy film about a country music star's efforts to mold an unknown into a music sensation. The film was a critical and financial failure, making just over $21million on a $28million budget.
Parton's 1987 variety showDolly lasted only one season. She made acameo appearance as herself inThe Beverly Hillbillies (1993), an adaptation of the long-running TV sitcomThe Beverly Hillbillies (1962–1971).[21] Parton has donevoice work for animation for television series, playing herself inAlvin and the Chipmunks (episode "Urban Chipmunk", 1983) and the character Katrina Eloise "Murph" Murphy (Ms. Frizzle's first cousin) inThe Magic School Bus (episode "The Family Holiday Special", 1994). She also has guest-starred in several sitcoms, including a 1990 episode ofDesigning Women (episode "The First Day of the Last Decade of the Entire Twentieth Century") as herself, the guardian movie star of Charlene's baby.[142] She made a guest appearance onReba (episode "Reba's Rules of Real Estate") portraying areal-estate agency owner and onThe Simpsons (episode "Sunday, Cruddy Sunday", 1999). She appeared as herself in 2000 on the Halloween episode ofBette Midler's short-lived sitcomBette and on episode 14 ofBabes (produced by Sandollar Productions, Parton andSandy Gallin's joint production company). She made cameo appearances on theDisney Channel as "Aunt Dolly", visiting Hannah and her family in fellow Tennessean and real-lifegoddaughterMiley Cyrus's seriesHannah Montana (episodes "Good Golly, Miss Dolly", 2006, "I Will Always Loathe You", 2007 and "Kiss It All Goodbye", 2010). She was nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.[143]
In June 2018, Parton announced an eight-part Netflix series, featuring her music career.[148][149] She is its executive producer and co-star.[150] The series, calledDolly Parton's Heartstrings, aired in November 2019.[151] Parton is the subject of theNPR podcastDolly Parton's America. It is hosted byJad Abumrad and produced and reported by Shima Oliaee.[152] In December 2019, the biographical documentaryHere I Am was added to the catalog of theNetflix streaming service. The documentary, a co-production of Netflix and theBBC, takes its name from Parton's1971 song.
Parton is the fourth of twelve children born to Avie Lee Caroline (née Owens; 1923–2003) and Robert Lee Parton Sr. (known as Lee; 1921-2000). Her siblings are Willadeene, David Wilburn (1942–2024),[157] Coy Denver, Robert Lee "Bobby,"Stella Mae, Cassie Nan,Randle Huston "Randy" (1953–2021),[158] Larry Gerald (1955),[159] twins Frieda Estelle and Floyd Estel (1957–2018),[160] andRachel Ann.[161][162]
Parton is a committedChristian, which has influenced many of her musical releases.[163]
She talked about her liberal approach to faith in the January 2024 issue ofNew Humanist magazine. "I wouldn't even say I'm religious, though I grew up with that background. But I have a lot of faith in myself and I've been so blessed to have been around great people my whole life, my Uncle Bill and my family being supportive and all the people I met along the way."[164]
Dolly Parton arrived inNashville on a Saturday morning, the day after graduating fromSevier County High School. After starting her laundry inside the Wishy Washy Laundromat, Parton got a cold drink and walked outside. Carl Thomas Dean (July 20, 1942[10] – March 3, 2025), a Nashville native, pulled up along the sidewalk where Parton was standing. Dean mentioned Parton might get sunburned because of the style of shirt she was wearing. They began a conversation.[10][165][166][167] Two years later, they were married inRinggold, Georgia on May 30, 1966.[168][169] Although Parton does not use Dean's surname professionally, she has stated that her passport reads "Dolly Parton Dean" and she sometimes uses Dean when signing contracts.[170]
Dean, who ran anasphalt road and driveway-paving business in Nashville for decades,[171] always shunned publicity and rarely accompanied his wife to public events. According to Parton, he only saw her perform once. However, she would also state in interviews that even though it appeared they spent little time together, it was because nobody saw him publicly. Dean would often visit Dollywood by himself and tour the park unrecognized.[10]
Parton has commented on Dean's romantic side, saying that he did spontaneous things to surprise her and sometimes even wrote poems for her.[172] In 2011, she said, "We're really very proud of our marriage. It's the first for both of us. And the last."[173] On May 6, 2016, Parton announced that she and Dean would renew their vows in honor of their 50th wedding anniversary later in the month.[174]
Dean and Parton moved into their current home on 75 acres inBrentwood, Tennessee in 1972. However, they retained ownership of their prior home inAntioch, Tennessee for several years. Since the 2010s, manyclickbait articles and videos claim Dean and Parton purchased their current home in Brentwood in 1999.[175] This is not correct.[10] Parton's uncle, Dot Watson, and Dean constructed the entire home in 1970 and 1971. Parton's brothers Denver andRandy also worked on the structure.[10] Several years later, they added aguesthouse to the property.[10] Dean and Parton lived at their home together for over 52 years until Dean's death.
While Parton and Dean never had children, they helped raise several of her younger siblings in Nashville, leading her nieces and nephews (and great nieces and nephews as well) to refer to them as "Uncle Peepaw" and "Aunt Granny"; the latter a moniker that later lent its name to one of Parton'sDollywood restaurants. Parton is also the godmother of singer-songwriter and actressMiley Cyrus.[176]
On March 3, 2025, Parton announced on her social media that Dean had died in Nashville at the age of 82. They were married just two months short of 59 years.[177][178]
Since the mid-1980s, Parton has supported many charitable efforts, particularly in the area of literacy, primarily through herDollywood Foundation.Her literacy program, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library,[179] which is a part of the Dollywood Foundation, was founded in honor of her father, who never learned to read or write.[180] It mails[181] one book per month to each enrolled child from the time of their birth until they enter kindergarten. Currently, over 1600 local communities provide the Imagination Library to almost 850,000 children each month across the U.S., Canada, the UK, Australia and the Republic of Ireland.[179] In February 2018, she donated her 100 millionth free book, a copy of Parton's children's picture bookCoat of Many Colors, to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.[182] and was honored by the Library of Congress on account of the "charity sending out its 100 millionth book".[183]
In February 2025, Indiana governorMike Braun declined to support a state 50% match for Parton's Imagination Library. Dollywood Foundation President Jeff Conyers said, "We are hopeful that Governor Braun and the Indiana Legislature will continue this vital investment by restoring the state's funding match for local Imagination Library programs."[184] Braun would soon afterwards task his wife Maureen with finding ways to keep the Imagination Library's Indiana chapter alive.[185]
On May 8, 2009, Parton gave thecommencement speech at the graduation ceremony for theUniversity of Tennessee, Knoxville's College of Arts and Sciences.[186] During the ceremony, she received an honoraryDoctor of Humane Letters from the university. It was only the second honorary degree given by the university and in presenting the degree, the university'sChancellor,Jimmy Cheek, said, "Because of her career not just as a musician and entertainer, but for her role as a cultural ambassador, philanthropist and lifelong advocate for education, it is fitting that she be honored with an honorary degree from the flagship educational institution of her home state."[187]
In 2006, Parton published a cookbook,Dolly's Dixie Fixin's: Love, Laughter and Lots of Good Food.[188][189]
The Dollywood Foundation, funded from Parton's profits, has been noted for bringing jobs and tax revenues to a previously depressed region. Parton also has worked to raise money for several other causes, including theAmerican Red Cross andHIV/AIDS-related charities.[190]
In December 2006, Parton pledged $500,000 toward a proposed $90million hospital and cancer center to be constructed in Sevierville in the name of Robert F. Thomas, the physician who delivered her. She announced a benefit concert to raise additional funds for the project. The concert played to about 8,000 people.[191] That same year, Parton andEmmylou Harris allowed use of their music in aPETA ad campaign that encouraged pet owners to keep their dogs indoors rather than chained outside.[192]
In response to the2016 Great Smoky Mountains wildfires, Parton was one of a number of country music artists who participated in a telethon to raise money for victims of the fires.[195] This was held in Nashville on December 9. In addition, Parton hosted her own telethon for the victims on December 13[196] and reportedly raised around $9million.[197] Her fund, the "My People Fund", provided $1,000 a month for six months to over 900 families affected by the wildfires, finally culminating with $5,000 to each home in the final month due to increased fundraising, for a total of $10,000 per family.[198][199][200] In 2018, the FBI honored Parton for her wildfire aid work, awarding her the 2018 Director's Community Leadership Award at a ceremony at FBI Headquarters in Washington. The honor was bestowed by Director Christopher Wray and was accepted on Parton's behalf by David Dotson, the CEO of the Dollywood Foundation.[199]
The impact of the fund's financial relief for the 2016 wildfire victims was studied by University of Tennessee College of Social Work professor Stacia West, who examined the impact of cash transfers in poverty alleviation.[201] West surveyed 100 recipients of the emergency relief funds in April 2017 on topics including questions on housing, financial impact, physical and emotional health and sources of support, with a follow-up survey conducted in December 2017. West found that the "My People Fund", in tandem with traditional disaster response, gave families the ability to make decisions that were most beneficial to them and concluded that unconditional cash support may be more beneficial for disaster relief than conditional financial support.[202] The report cited the impact of the monthly financial disbursements from the "My People Fund" on residents' emergency savings: "Following the monthly disbursements of unconditional cash assistance, participants were able to return to baseline financial stability reported prior to the wildfire and improve their ability to set aside savings for hypothetical future emergencies."[203]
Parton has been a generous donor toVanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). Among her gifts was a contribution to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt Pediatric Cancer Program in honor of a friend,Naji Abumrad and her niece, Hannah Dennison, who was successfully treated forleukemia as a child at the Children's Hospital.[204]
In the aftermath of 2024'sHurricane Helene, Parton announced a donation of $2 million to relief efforts, $1 million personally and another $1 million through her various businesses and the Dollywood Foundation.[205]
Though often politically neutral, Parton is known for her long history of openly supporting the gay community and publicly came out in support ofsame-sex marriage in 2009.[206]
In response to theCOVID-19 pandemic, Parton donated $1million towards research atVanderbilt University Medical Center and encouraged those who can afford it to make similar donations.[207] She said "I'm a very proud girl today to know I had anything at all to do with something that's going to help us through this crazy pandemic."[208] Her donation funded the critical early stages of development of theModerna vaccine.[209] In March 2021, Parton wasvaccinated againstCOVID-19 at Vanderbilt University. She labeled social media accounts of the occasion "Dolly gets a dose of her own medicine."[210] Parton strongly encouraged everyone to get vaccinated when eligible and performed a song celebrating her vaccination, set to the tune of her song "Jolene".[211][212][213]
Dolly Parton is one of the most-honored female country performers of all time. The Record Industry Association of America has certified 25 of her single or album releases as either Gold Record, Platinum Record or Multi-Platinum Record. She has had 26 songs reach no.1 on theBillboard country charts, a record for a female artist. She has 42 career Top10 country albums, a record for any artist and 110 career-charted singles over the past 40 years.[214] As of 2012 she had written more than 3,000 songs and sold more than 100 million records, making her one of the best-selling female artists of all time.[215][216] As of 2021, she had appeared on the country music charts in each of seven decades, the most of any artist.[217]
Dolly Parton has earned 11 Grammy Awards (including her 2011 Lifetime Achievement Grammy) and a total of 55 Grammy Award nominations, the third-most nominations of any female artist in the history of the prestigious awards.[218][219][220]
At theAmerican Music Awards, she has won three awards out of 18 nominations. At the Country Music Association, she has won ten awards out of 42 nominations. At theAcademy of Country Music, she has won seven awards and 39 nominations. She is one of only six female artists (includingReba McEntire,Barbara Mandrell,Shania Twain,Loretta Lynn andTaylor Swift), to win the Country Music Association's highest honor, Entertainer of the Year (1978). She also has been nominated for twoAcademy Awards and aTony Award. She was nominated for anEmmy Award for her appearance in a 1978Cher television special. She was awarded a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame for her music in 1984, located at 6712 Hollywood Boulevard inHollywood, California; a star on the NashvilleStarWalk for Grammy winners;[221] and a bronze sculpture on the courthouse lawn in Sevierville. She has called that statue of herself in her hometown "the greatest honor", because it came from the people who knew her. Parton was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 1969 and in 1986 was named one ofMs. Magazine's Women of the Year. In 1986, she was inducted into theNashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.[222][223]
Parton was honored in 2003 with a tribute album calledJust Because I'm a Woman: Songs of Dolly Parton. The artists who recorded versions of Parton's songs includedMelissa Etheridge ("I Will Always Love You"),Alison Krauss ("9 to 5"),Shania Twain ("Coat of Many Colors"),Meshell Ndegeocello ("Two Doors Down"),Norah Jones ("The Grass is Blue") andSinéad O'Connor ("Dagger Through the Heart"). Parton herself contributed a re-recording of the title song, originally the title song for her first RCA album in 1968. Parton was awarded theLiving Legend Medal by the U.S.Library of Congress on April 14, 2004, for her contributions to the cultural heritage of the United States.[227] She is also the focus of a Library of Congress collection exploring the influences of country music on her life and career. The collection contains images, articles, sheet music and more.[228]
In 2005, she was honored with theNational Medal of Arts, the highest honor given by the U.S. government for excellence in the arts. The award is presented by theU.S. President. On December 3, 2006, Parton received theKennedy Center Honors from theJohn F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for her lifetime of contributions to the arts. During the show, some of country music's biggest names came to show their admiration.Carrie Underwood performed "Islands in the Stream" with Rogers, Parton's original duet partner. Krauss performed "Jolene" and duetted "Coat of Many Colors" with Twain. McEntire andReese Witherspoon also came to pay tribute. On November 16, 2010, Parton accepted the Liseberg Applause Award, the theme park industry's most prestigious honor, on behalf of Dollywood theme park during a ceremony held at IAAPA Attractions Expo 2010 inOrlando, Florida.[229]
In 2015, a newly discovered species oflichen found growing in the southern Appalachians was namedJapewiella dollypartoniana in honor of Parton's music and her efforts to bring national and global attention to that region.[230] In 2018, Parton received a second star on theHollywood Walk of Fame, inducted alongsideLinda Ronstadt andEmmylou Harris in recognition of their work as a trio.[231] Parton was also recognized in theGuinness World Records 2018 Edition for holding records for the Most Decades with a Top20 hit on Billboard's Hot Country Songs Chart and Most Hits on Billboard's Hot Country Songs Chart by a Female Artist.[232] In 2020, Parton received a Grammy award for her collaboration withFor King & Country on their song, "God Only Knows".[233] In 2021, she was included on theTime 100,Time's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.[234]The New York Times called her among the three of America's Most Beloved Divas (alongsidePatti LaBelle andBarbra Streisand).[235]
During the Trump presidency, Parton turned down thePresidential Medal of Freedom twice due to her husband's illness and the ongoing pandemic.[236] Parton turned down the Presidential Medal of Freedom a third time during the Biden presidency to avoid the appearance of politics.[237] In response to a 2021 proposal by the Tennessee legislature to erect a statue of Parton, she released a statement asking the legislature to remove the bill from consideration, saying "Given all that is going on in the world, I don't think putting me on a pedestal is appropriate at this time."[238]
In late 2022, Parton received a $100-millionCourage and Civility Award from the founder of Amazon,Jeff Bezos.[239][240][241] According to Bezos, the award was given to Parton because of her charity work focused on improving children's literacy around the world.[242]
Parton, Dolly; Boynton-Hughes, Brooke (October 18, 2016).Coat of Many Colors. Grosset & Dunlap/Penguin Random House.ISBN9780451532374.
Parton, Dolly; Oermann, Robert K. (November 17, 2020).Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.ISBN978-1797205090.
Parton, Dolly; Patterson, James (March 7, 2022).Run, Rose, Run. Little, Brown & Company.ISBN978-0-7595-5434-4.
Parton, Dolly (April 25, 2023).Dolly Parton's Billy The Kid Makes It Big. Penguin Workshop.ISBN9780593661574.
Parton, Dolly; Seaver, Rebecca; George-Warren, Holly (October 17, 2023).Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones. Ten Speed Press.ISBN9781984862129.
Parton, Dolly; Parton-George, Rachel (September 17, 2024).Good Lookin' Cookin': A Year of Meals - A Lifetime of Family, Friends and Food. Ten Speed Press.ISBN9781984863164.
Parton, Dolly (October 1, 2024).Dolly Parton's Billy The Kid Comes Home for Christmas. Penguin Workshop.ISBN9780593755006.
Parton, Dolly; Roland, Tom (November 11, 2025).Star of the Show: My Life on Stage. Ten Speed Press.ISBN978-1984863133.
Parton, Dolly (December 2, 2025).Dolly Parton's Billy The Kid Dances His Heart Out. Penguin Workshop.ISBN978-0593755020.
Parton, Dolly; Boynton-Hughes, Brooke (May 26, 2026).Coat of Many Colors: 10th Anniversary Edition. Penguin Workshop.ISBN9798217140640.
^Yahr, Emily (October 17, 2023)."Dolly Parton was told 'gaudy' clothes would hurt her career. She doubled down".Washington Post. as much a part of her empire's origin story as her legendary singing (more than 100 million records sold; the first female country singer to sell 1 million copies of an album). RetrievedJanuary 20, 2024.
^RockyTopTraveler (January 29, 2005)."Dolly's Nashville Home-2025".www.youtube.com. San Bruno, CA USA: Google LLC, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. RetrievedSeptember 30, 2025.
^Intrater, Roberta Grobel (2005).ABC Look at Me! A Lift-and-Learn Book. New York, N.Y.:Price Stern Sloan.ISBN978-0-8431-2012-7.This Imagination Library edition is published ... exclusively for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, a not-for-profit program designed to inspire a love of reading and learning, sponsored in part by The Dollywood Foundation
^"New Names of Minor Planets"(PDF).WGSBN Bulletin.2 (16). Paris, France: International Astronomical Union: 5. December 12, 2022. RetrievedDecember 9, 2024.
"(Pussy Pussy Pussy) Whose Kitty Cat Are You?" – Music and Lyrics by Marvin Montgomery (1996)
The entire song score fromThe Postman – Music and Lyrics by Jeffrey Barr, Glenn Burke, John Coinman, Joe Flood, Blair Forward, Maria Machado, and Jono Manson (1997)
