Dolly Parton: Everything you need to know about the music icon

Dolly Parton is one of those people who has mass appeal. Not only is she a country music icon, her songs are well-known outside of the country genre, and she's also an actress, author, writer and philanthropist.

Dolly has been writing music since the 50s and has shown no signs of slowing down, with a rock album 'Rockstar' released in 2023, after being inspired by her Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nomination. She's also teamed up with Dionne Warwick to release a duet, and a huge collaboration called 'Gonna Be You', for the soundtrack of 80 For Brady!

Where is Dolly Parton from?

Dolly Parton was born in Locust Ridge, Tennessee, on 19th January 1946.

Dolly was born into a poor family in rural Appalachia, in Locust Ridge, Tennessee and was the fourth of 12 children. Her father, Robert Lee, was a tobacco farmer and construction worker who didn’t learn literacy skills after leaving school as a child. Dolly’s mother, Avie Lee Owens, was the daughter of a preacher and looked after Dolly and her siblings.

Where did Dolly get her musical influence?

Dolly has often remarked that she was heavily influenced by her family. Both her parents played the guitar, her dad also played the banjo and her mother sang. Dolly wrote the song ‘Coat Of Many Colours’ about her mother Avie sewing her a winter coat out of small scraps of fabric as the family couldn’t afford much more.

However, Dolly credits her uncle, Bill Owens, for launching her music career. Owens was Dolly’s first manager and got his niece her first regular gig in 1956 on “The Cas Walker Show” when she was just 10 years old.

What was Dolly Parton’s first song?

Dolly wrote her first song ‘Little Tiny Tassle Top’ in 1951 when she was just five-years-old, but recorded her first single ‘Puppy Love’ in 1957 and released the song in 1959 on Goldband Records.

When is Dolly Parton's birthday?

Dolly Parton's birthday is on 19th January, and she was born in 1946.

In 2023, she celebrated her 77th birthday by sharing a new song with fans called 'Don’t Make Me Have To Come Down There'.

Listen to 'Don’t Make Me Have To Come Down There' by Dolly Parton:

She explained the song's inspiration to fans in a video on her Instagram page, where she said: "It's a song that kind of came to me in a dream and I felt like it was worth putting out there, something special, well it's special to me.

"I had a dream about God standing on a mountain looking down at us saying 'Don't make me have to come down there' and it woke me up. I got up, I started writing this song and over a period of weeks, months I finished it as things would come to me, and I just felt like I should drop it on my birthday. So, I hope you enjoy it."

For her 78th birthday in 2024, Dolly surprised her fans with some previously unreleased tracks.

What are Dolly Parton’s biggest hits?

Dolly Parton has composed over 3000 songs, including ‘I Will Always Love You’, which was a massive hit for Whitney Houston in 1992 on the ‘Bodyguard’ soundtrack. The ballad was initially released in 1974 and written about Porter Wagoner, Dolly’s former partner and mentor of seven years.

Dolly’s other huge hits include the brilliant ‘Jolene’, ‘9 to 5’, ‘Islands In The Stream’ (with Kenny Rogers) and ‘Coat of Many Colours’.

How many Grammy Awards does Dolly Parton have?

Dolly has won nine Grammy Awards and received 50 nominations. At the 21st Grammy Awards, Parton won her first Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance (Female) for her song ‘Here You Come Again’.

How many albums has Dolly Parton released?

Dolly Parton is a huge country music star, but her musical appeal is universal. She has released a total of 91 albums and was the best-selling female country music star of all time until 2022, when singer Taylor Swift took the title.

'Rockstar', Dolly's first rock album, was released in 2023.

What is Dolly's secret song?

Dolly has recorded a song which was sealed in a time capsule in 2015, and buried underneath her theme park Dollywood. In an interview with Kelly Clarkson, Dolly explained how no one will be able to hear until 2045.

She explained how it's bothered her than people might not get a chance to ever hear it if it disintegrates before it's uncovered!

Has Dolly Parton written a book?

Dolly Parton released her debut novel on 7th March 2022, along with an audiobook version which she has voiced one of the characters for. She also brought out an album by the same name as the book, 'Run Rose Run', which is based off of the characters and events from the book.

Dolly Parton 'Run Rose Run'

The book follows a young woman pursuing her dreams of becoming a musician, while trying to escape her dark past, and was published on hardback, e-book and audiobook on 7th March 2022.

Dolly Parton Behind The Seams: My Life in Rhinestones

Dolly released her book Dolly Parton Behind The Seams: My Life in Rhinestones in October 2023. In an interview with our sister station Greatest Hits Radio, she said: "I've got six decades of music and clothes behind me... hair dos, and it just kind of shows all the transitions all through the years of what I've worn and talking about it."

Mexican Pizza The Musical

Dolly announced on 9th May 2023 that she was working on a new musical called Mexican Pizza The Musical in partnership with Taco Bell. The singer shared a photo of what looks like the script with the caption: 'I’m making #MexicanPizzaTheMusical with @TacoBell #tacobellpartner'

Has Dolly Parton appeared in many films?

Yes! Whilst Dolly’s acting career began on television with two self-titled variety shows starting in the 1970s, Dolly has acted in a number of successful films. In her first feature film, she starred alongside Jane Fonda in the iconic film 9 to 5 and was nominated for a number of Golden Globe awards. She wrote and recorded her infamous ‘9 to 5’ song for the film and it reached Number 1 in the Hot 100 chart as well as achieving two Grammy awards and an Oscar nomination.

Parton was also in the cast of Steel Magnolias, Rhinestone, Straight Talk and more recently, Dumplin’. In 2020, she starred in Netflix original, Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square.

Is Dolly Parton married?

Dolly married her husband Carl Dean in 1966. The pair are very private and Carl, a retired businessman, prefers to stay out of the spotlight.

Does Dolly Parton have children?

Dolly Parton and Carl Dean do not have any children of their own but Dolly cared for and helped to raise a lot of her younger siblings, which earned her the nickname ‘Aunt Granny’ from her nieces and nephews!

Dolly Parton launches dog apparel business Doggy Parton

In August 2022, Dolly Parton announced her line of dog accessories, clothes and toys which she has created under the name Doggy Parton. The collection is inspired by country style as well as Dolly herself.

Is Dolly Parton related to Miley Cyrus?

Contrary to popular belief the huge female musical powerhouses aren’t related, but Dolly Parton IS Miley Cyrus’ godmother! Dolly met Miley’s father Billy Ray Cyrus in the 1990s.

The pair co-hosted and performed together at Miley's New Year's Eve Party. The pair sang a mash-up of their songs 'Wrecking Ball' and 'I Will Always Love You'.

What is Dollywood and can I visit?

Dollywood is a theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The theme park, which is the state’s biggest ticketed tourist attraction, was renamed Dollywood after she became interested in the project in 1986. We’d like a ticket please!

Does Dolly Parton do any charity work?

Dolly Parton is a champion of a number of causes and launched her own charitable foundation, The Dollywood Foundation in 1988.

Launched in 1998, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting programme which is devoted to “inspiring a love of reading in the hearts of children everywhere.” Each month, children can receive high quality, age-appropriate books in the post, free of charge. The programme is available in Australia, Canada, Ireland, UK and US.

Dolly donated $1 million dollars to help fund research and support development of the Moderna vaccine against Covid-19.

In 2022, Dolly donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville to help paediatric infectious disease research.

Has Dolly Parton had the Covid-19 vaccine?

Dolly received a dose of the Covid-19 Moderna vaccine on Tuesday 2nd March 2021. She helped fund her own vaccine!

Dolly Parton's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction

Dolly Parton was announced as a nominee for the 2022 intake for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in February of that year. Dolly spoke to Billboard about her nomination, and her surprise at being included: "I was absolutely floored when I heard. I’ve never thought of myself as being rock and roll in any sense of the word – but I guess they judge it on the music and the influence certain songs have had, and I guess I’ve had songs with other people in that realm. But I don’t know how they judge that."

She also revealed her desire to make a rock 'n' roll album, which she has decided to work on if she was inducted: "I’m not expecting that I’ll get in. But if I do, I’ll immediately, next year, have to put out a great rock and roll album – which I’ve wanted to do for years, like a Linda Ronstadt or Heart kind of thing. So this may have been just a God-wink for me to go ahead and do that. It’s just nice to be nominated."

On 14th March 2022, Dolly released a statement about her nomination, saying: 'Even though I am extremely flattered and grateful to be nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I don’t feel that I have earned that right.'

She continued: 'I really do not want votes to be split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out.'

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame responded to say that she would be kept on the ballot, and she later changed her mind to say she would accept the honour if she was inducted.

In May, it was announced that Dolly was part of the 2022 class of inductees and she was inducted in a ceremony on 5th November. Commenting on the news, she said: "I’m very honoured and humbled, and so I’ll try to live up to it."

Dolly Parton's rock and roll album

Dolly mentioned her interest in releasing a rock and roll album when she was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and since being added to the class of 2022 she went on to share the epic list of artists on her album.

What is Dolly Parton's rock album called?

In December 2022, Dolly appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and shared more details about her album, including that it will be called 'Rockstar'. It was released in Autumn 2023.

She said: "I'm making an album because I have to live up to all that hype. I even wrote a song about it (‘Rockin'') to kind of tell the story about it. But anyway, I’m very honoured and very proud. I’m good about timing. I’d always thought I might want to do a rock record – because my husband is a rock ’n’ roll freak – so I thought, ‘Well, if I’m ever gonna do it, now’s the time!

"It's gonna come out next fall, and you know what I'm calling it, 'Rock Star'. I am going to have some cameo people and a few originals. We're going to have a lot of great iconic songs like 'Purple Rain', '(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction', 'Stairway To Heaven', 'Free Bird’. I'm gonna have a few guest artists."

Watch Dolly Parton perform 'Rockin'' at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction:

Dolly's duet with Dionne Warwick

Dolly has paired up with Dionne Warwick to release a gospel duet called 'Peace Like A River'. Speaking about the collaboration, Dionne said: "It’s a gospel song called ‘Peace Like A River’. (Dolly) wrote it, and I am very excited about this. I really am. I’ve done so many duets over the years, but this one’s going to be very special."

80 for Brady

Dolly sings in the theme tune for film 80 for Brady. The song is called 'Gonna Be You' and also features music icons Belinda Carlisle, Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry and Gloria Estefan.

Watch the official video for 'Gonna Be You':

What does Dolly have to do with Buffy The Vampire Slayer?

Back in 2020, rumours started swirling that Dolly Parton was an uncredited producer on the 90s cult teen TV show Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Three years later, these rumours were confirmed by Sarah Michelle Gellar who told Jimmy Fallon on his talkshow, that Dolly was indeed involved with the show, although she didn't meet her, they used to receive gifts.

Scroll through some of our favourite Dolly Parton quotes:

Now read:

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Dolly Parton premieres rock songs with Judas Priest's Rob Halford and Heart's Ann Wilson – listen

We love Dolly Parton! 9 of her best quotes through the years

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• Dolly Parton