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Contents |
Dolly is a singer, songwriter, author, actress, and humanitarian from Tennessee, United States.
Dolly is known for not only her music but also her humanitarian work, she has won countless awards including:
Kennedy Center Honoree |
In a one room cabin in Pittman Center, Tennessee on 19 January 1946, Dolly Rebecca Parton was born to Lee Parton and Avie Lee (Owens) Parton (1923-2003) She was the fourth of twelve children[1] She grew up in a very low economical area of Appalacia, where money was very limited for such large family that the doctor the delivered Dolly was paid with a bag of cornmeal. Her father, according to the 1950 census was a farmer, [1] and her mother stayed at home to care for the children.
Music played an important role for Dolly even at a young age, she and her family attended the church her grandfather, Jake Robert Owens (1899-1992) pastored at the Church of God in Cleveland Tennessee, where she would begin her singing career at the age of six. By the age of ten, she was apparearing on The Cas Walker Show.[2]
Porter Wagnor and Dolly Parton. |
Dolly recorded her first record at the age of 13 "Puppy Love" and also appeared at the Grand Ole Opry alongside her uncle, Bill Owens. [3]
Dolly attended Sevier County High school [4] and graduated in 1964, and moved to Nashville the very next day.
Dolly married Carl Thomas Dean on May 30 1966. They had no children.
Coat of Many Colors. |
As stated before, Dolly's first song was recorded at the age of 13, but it didn't stop there, in fact, Dolly is still singing and touring. Her legendary career has spanned over 60 years with hit songs such as:
She has spanned the genres with her songs from country to pop to bluegrass, and gospel. Many artists covering her songs, including Whitney Elizabeth Houston (1963-2012) with the hit "I Will Always Love You."
Dolly has appeared on television since the 1960s when she performed on the Porter Wagoner Show, she also had two self-titled shows in the 1970s and 1980s.
She starred in her first movie along with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in the Comedy "9 to 5" in 1980. She received Oscar, Golden Globe, and Grammy nominations, and won Grammys for Best Female Country Vocal performance and Best Country song for the title song of the movie.[5]
In 1985, she starred alongside Burton Leon Reynolds Jr (1936-2018) and Dominick DeLuise (1933-2009) in the comedy, Musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas where she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical [6]
No stranger to television, Dolly has produced, written, and appeared in numerous shows and series.
Parton, Tomlin, and Fonda |
On the 3 May 1986, the doors opened to Dollys new venture, a family orientated theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee called Dollywood. [7]
Other business ventures include dinner theatres and her newest Dollyverse [8]
“I keep dreaming myself into a corner! I’ve learned you can’t just say, ’Oh, my dream’s come true and I’m walking out of here.No, you’ve got to show you’re grateful and show that you’re not going to just leave it all in the hands of other people.” [9] Dolly stated this in an interview with Country Music Today. She practices what she preaches. She gives, sometimes anonymously to charities and causes constantly:
She has also generously given money to the LeConte Medical Center in Seiverville, Tennessee, she also gave over $3 million to the victims of the Smokey Mountain fires in 2017.
Featured Eurovision connections: Dolly is 30 degrees from Agnetha Fältskog, 28 degrees from Anni-Frid Synni Reuß, 27 degrees from Corry Brokken, 22 degrees from Céline Dion, 27 degrees from Françoise Dorin, 27 degrees from France Gall, 30 degrees from Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, 21 degrees from Lill-Babs Svensson, 21 degrees from Olivia Newton-John, 34 degrees from Henriette Nanette Paërl, 34 degrees from Annie Schmidt and 21 degrees from Moira Kennedy on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.
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