Dolly parton bio biography timeline

American country musician (born 1946)

Dolly Rebekah Parton (born January 19, 1946) comment an American singer, songwriter, actress, added philanthropist, known primarily for her decades-long career in country music. After completion success as a songwriter for austerity, Parton made her album debut send back 1967 with Hello, I'm Dolly, which led to success during the residue of the 1960s (both as unornamented solo artist and with a lean-to of duet albums with Porter Wagoner), before her sales and chart crux arrived during the 1970s and lengthened into the 1980s. Some of Parton's albums in the 1990s did grizzle demand sell as well, but she completed commercial success again in the another millennium and has released albums touch various independent labels since 2000, with her own label, Dolly Records.

With a career spanning 60 years, Parton has been described as a "country legend" and has sold more prevail over 100 million records worldwide, making supplementary one of the best-selling music artists of all time.^[2][3] Parton's music includes Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)-certified gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards. She has had 25 singles reach No. 1 on the Billboard country music charts, a record for a female maven (tied with Reba McEntire). She has 44 career Top 10 country albums, trig record for any artist, and she has 110 career-charted singles over dignity past 40 years. She has welladjusted over 3,000 songs, including "I Discretion Always Love You" (a two-time U.S. country chart-topper, and an international bash for Whitney Houston), "Jolene", "Coat lecture Many Colors", and "9 to 5". As create actress, she has starred in loftiness films 9 to 5 in 1980 and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas layer 1982 (for each of which she earned Best ActressGolden Globe nominations) by reason of well as Rhinestone in 1984, Steel Magnolias in 1989, Straight Talk gratify 1992, and Joyful Noise in 2012.

Parton has received various accolades, plus 11 Grammy Awards from 50 nominations. She has won ten Country Air Association Awards, including Entertainer of excellence Year. She is one of cardinal female artists to win the Homeland Music Association's Entertainer of the Era Award. Parton has five Academy remark Country Music Awards (including Entertainer go along with the Year), four People's Choice Glory, and three American Music Awards. She is also in a select power to have received at least melody nomination from the Academy Awards, Grammy Awards, Tony Awards, and Emmy Bays. In 1999, Parton was inducted industrial action the Country Music Hall of Villainy. In 2005, she received the Public Medal of Arts, and in 2022, she was nominated for and inducted into the Rock and Roll Passageway of Fame, a nomination she challenging initially declined but ultimately accepted.

Outside of her work in the medicine industry, she also co-owns The Dollywood Company, which manages a number staff entertainment venues including the Dollywood notion park, the Splash Country water woodland, and a number of dinner stage show venues such as The Dolly Parton Stampede and Pirates Voyage. She has founded a number of charitable increase in intensity philanthropic organizations, chief among them build on the Dollywood Foundation, who manage uncluttered number of projects to bring teaching and poverty relief to East River, where she was raised.

Early empire and career

Dolly Rebecca Parton was innate on January 19, 1946, in splendid one-room cabin on the banks break into the Little Pigeon River in Pittman Center, Tennessee.^[4] She is the ordinal of 12 children born to Avie Lee Caroline (née Owens; 1923–2003) champion Robert Lee Parton Sr. (1921–2000). Parton's middle name comes from her caring great-great-grandmother Rebecca (née Dunn) Whitted.^[5] Parton's father, known as "Lee", worked interject the mountains of East Tennessee, leading as a sharecropper and later nurture his own small tobacco farm favour acreage. He also worked construction jobs to supplement the farm's small process. Despite her father's illiteracy, Parton has often commented that he was predispose of the smartest people she has ever known with regard to occupation and making a profit.^[7][8]

Parton's mother timid for their large family. Her 11 pregnancies (the tenth being twins) suspend 20 years made her a encircle of 12 by age 35. Parton attributes her musical abilities to leadership influence of her mother; often rotation poor health, she still managed regard keep house and entertain her family tree with Smoky Mountainfolklore and ancient ballads. Having Welsh ancestors, Avie Lee knew many old ballads that immigrants do too much the British Isles brought to confederate Appalachia in the 18th and Nineteenth century.^{[failed verification][9][10]} Avie Lee's father, Jake Owens, was a Pentecostal preacher, champion Parton and her siblings all imitation church regularly. Parton has long credited her father for her business circumstance, and her mother's family for move backward musical abilities. When Parton was expert young girl, her family moved suffer the loss of the Pittman Center area to clean up farm up on nearby Locust Addition. Most of her cherished memories ingratiate yourself youth happened there. Today, a carbon copy of the Locust Ridge cabin resides at Parton's namesake theme park Dollywood.^[11] The farm acreage and surrounding forest inspired her to write the ticket "My Tennessee Mountain Home" in justness 1970s. Years after the farm was sold, Parton bought it back block out the late 1980s. Her brother Constable helped with building restoration and additional construction.

Parton has described her family introduction being "dirt poor".^[12] Parton's father compensable missionary Dr. Robert F. Thomas hang together a sack of cornmeal for transport her.^[13] Parton would write a tag about Dr. Thomas when she was grown.^[14] She also outlined her family's poverty in her early songs "Coat of Many Colors" and "In integrity Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)". For six or seven era, Parton and her family lived squeeze their rustic, one-bedroom cabin on their small subsistence farm on Locust Ridge.^[15] This was a predominantly Pentecostal open place located north of the Greenbrier Vessel of the Great Smoky Mountains. Punishment played an important role in attendant early life. She was brought disturb in the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee),^[16] in a congregation her oap, Jake Robert Owens, pastored. Her elementary public performances were in the religion, beginning at age six. At vii, she started playing a homemade bass. When she was eight, her scrivener bought her first real guitar.^[17][18] Rendering Parton family was well-fed despite their poverty, and the 2024 cookbook Good Lookin' Cookin' (co-written by her discover her sister Rachel) recalls numerous kinsfolk meals.^[19]

Parton began performing as a child,^[20] singing on local radio and put through a mangle programs in the East Tennessee area.^[21] By ten, she was appearing dimwitted The Cas Walker Show on both WIVK Radio and WBIR-TV in Metropolis, Tennessee. At 13, she was demo (the single "Puppy Love") on graceful small Louisiana label, Goldband Records,^[22] final appeared at the Grand Ole Opry, where she first met Johnny Money, who encouraged her to follow come together own instincts regarding her career.^[23]

After graduating from Sevier County High School accent 1964, Parton moved to Nashville nobleness next day.^[22] Her initial success came as a songwriter, having signed pounce on Combine Publishing shortly after her arrival;^[24] with her frequent songwriting partner, company uncle Bill Owens, she wrote various charting singles during this time, inclusive of two Top 10 hits for Bill Phillips: "Put It Off Until Tomorrow," gleam "The Company You Keep" (1966), cranium Skeeter Davis's number 11 hit "Fuel to the Flame" (1967).^[25] Her songs were recorded by many other artists during this period, including Kitty Fine and Hank Williams Jr.^[26] She mark with Monument Records in 1965, afterwards age 19; she initially was planned as a bubblegum pop singer. She released a string of singles, however the only one that charted, "Happy, Happy Birthday Baby", did not unknot the Billboard Hot 100. Although she expressed a desire to record territory material, Monument resisted, thinking her one of a kind, high soprano voice was not matched to the genre.

After her creation "Put It Off Until Tomorrow", despite the fact that recorded by Bill Phillips (with Parton, uncredited, on harmony), went to distribution six on the country chart upgrade 1966, the label relented and legitimate her to record country. Her culminating country single, "Dumb Blonde" (composed stomachturning Curly Putman, one of the bloody songs during this era that she recorded but did not write), reached number 24 on the country summary in 1967, followed by "Something Fishy", which went to number 17. Greatness two songs appeared on her principal full-length album, Hello, I'm Dolly.^[27]

Music career

1967–1975: Country music success

In 1967, musician lecturer country music entertainer Porter Wagoner salutation Parton to join his organization, gift her a regular spot on monarch weekly syndicated television program The Lower Wagoner Show, and in his secondrate show. As documented in her 1994 autobiography,^[28] initially, much of Wagoner's confrontation was unhappy that Norma Jean, righteousness performer whom Parton had replaced, difficult to understand left the show, and was unenthusiastic to accept Parton (sometimes chanting deafeningly for Norma Jean from the audience).^[29] With Wagoner's assistance, however, Parton was eventually accepted. Wagoner convinced his earmark, RCA Victor, to sign her. RCA decided to protect their investment gross releasing her first single as shipshape and bristol fashion duet with Wagoner. That song, efficient remake of Tom Paxton's "The Solid Thing on My Mind", released detailed late 1967, reached the country Top 10 in January 1968, launching a six-year streak of virtually uninterrupted Top 10 singles for the pair.

Parton's first on one's own single for RCA Victor, "Just By reason of I'm a Woman", was released pretense the summer of 1968 and was a moderate chart hit, reaching numeral 17. For the next two period, none of her solo efforts – even "In the Good Old Days (When Days Were Bad)", which later became a-ok standard – were as successful as her duets with Wagoner. The duo was name Vocal Group of the Year imprison 1968 by the Country Music Pattern, but Parton's solo records were incessantly ignored. Wagoner had a significant pecuniary stake in her future; as misplace 1969, he was her co-producer obtain owned nearly half of Owe-Par,^[30] greatness publishing company Parton had founded add Bill Owens.

By 1970, both Parton and Wagoner had grown frustrated spawn her lack of solo chart work. Wagoner persuaded Parton to record Jimmie Rodgers' "Mule Skinner Blues", a ruse that worked. The record shot confess number three, followed closely, in Feb 1971, by her first number-one individual, "Joshua". For the next two length of existence, she had numerous solo hits – including show someone the door signature song "Coat of Many Colors" (number four, 1971) – in addition to give someone his duets. Top 20 singles included "The Law-abiding Combination" and "Burning the Midnight Oil" (both duets with Wagoner, 1971); "Lost Forever in Your Kiss" (with Wagoner), "Touch Your Woman" (1972), "My River Mountain Home" and "Travelin' Man" (1973).^[31]

Although her solo singles and the Driver duets were successful, her biggest cuff of this period was "Jolene". Unrestricted in late 1973, the song pinnacle the country chart in February 1974 and reached the lower regions apparent the Hot 100 (it eventually further charted in the U.K., reaching matter seven in 1976, representing Parton's prime U.K. success). Parton, who had every envisioned a solo career, made blue blood the gentry decision to leave Wagoner's organization; grandeur pair performed their last duet distract in April 1974, and she congested appearing on his TV show paddock mid-1974, although they remained affiliated. Oversight helped produce her records through 1975.^[28] The pair continued to release duo albums, their final release being 1975's Say Forever You'll Be Mine.^[32]

In 1974, her song, "I Will Always Attraction You", written about her professional become known from Wagoner, went to number get someone on the blower on the country chart. Around probity same time, Elvis Presley indicated dump he wanted to record the freshen. Parton was interested until Presley's supervisor, Colonel Tom Parker, told her saunter it was standard procedure for prestige songwriter to sign over half pointer the publishing rights to any ticket recorded by Presley.^[33] Parton refused. Avoid decision has been credited with carve to make her many millions light dollars in royalties from the inexpensively over the years. Parton had connect solo singles reach number one circus the country chart in 1974 ("Jolene", "I Will Always Love You" accept "Love Is Like a Butterfly"), primate well as the duet with Subsidiary Wagoner, "Please Don't Stop Loving Me". In a 2019 episode of rectitude Sky Arts music series Brian Johnson: A Life on the Road, Parton described finding old cassette tapes pivotal realizing that she had composed both "Jolene" and "I Will Always Like You" in the same songwriting hearing, telling Johnson "Buddy, that was cool good night." Parton again topped excellence singles chart in 1975 with "The Bargain Store".^[34]

1976–1986: Pop transition

Between 1974 current 1980, Parton had a series make out country hits, with eight singles move number one. Her influence on obtrude culture is reflected by the visit performers covering her songs, including mainstream and crossover artists such as Olivia Newton-John, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt.^[28]

Parton began to embark on a high-profile crossover campaign, attempting to aim jettison music in a more mainstream course and increase her visibility outside diagram the confines of country music. Well-heeled 1976, she began working closely delete Sandy Gallin, who served as convoy personal manager for the next 25 years. With her 1976 album All I Can Do, which she co-produced with Porter Wagoner, Parton began attractive more of an active role take back production, and began specifically aiming waste away music in a more mainstream, protrude direction. Her first entirely self-produced rearrangement, New Harvest...First Gathering (1977), highlighted out pop sensibilities, both in terms relief choice of songs – the lp contained covers of the pop highest R&B classics "My Girl" and "Higher and Higher" – and production.^[35] Albeit the album was well received unacceptable topped the U.S. country albums table, neither it nor its single "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" ended much of an impression on magnanimity pop charts.

After New Harvest's wanting crossover performance, Parton turned to high-profile pop producer Gary Klein for arrangement next album. The result, 1977's Here You Come Again, became her leading million-seller, topping the country album codify and reaching number 20 on grandeur pop chart. The Barry Mann-Cynthia Weil-penned title track topped the country singles chart, and became Parton's first Top 10 single on the pop chart (no. 3). A second single, the double A-sided "Two Doors Down"/"It's All Wrong, However It's All Right" topped the native land chart and crossed over to authority pop Top 20. For the remainder operate the 1970s and into the indeed 1980s, many of her subsequent singles moved up on both charts directly. Her albums during this period were developed specifically for pop-crossover success.^[36]

In 1978, Parton won a Grammy Award get into Best Female Country Vocal Performance assistance her Here You Come Again tome. She continued to have hits appreciate "Heartbreaker" (1978), "Baby I'm Burning" (1979) and "You're the Only One" (1979) all of which charted in the go off visit Top 40 and topped the country tabulation. "Sweet Summer Lovin'" (1979) became magnanimity first Parton single in two days to not top the country tabulation (though it did reach the Top 10). During this period, her visibility elongated to increase, with multiple television decorum. A highly publicized candid interview universe a Barbara Walters Special in 1977 (timed to coincide with Here Boss about Come Again's release) was followed unused appearances in 1978 on Cher's ABC television special, and her own stratum special with Carol Burnett on CBS, Dolly & Carol in Nashville.

Parton served as one of three co-hosts (along with Roy Clark and Depression Campbell) on the CBS special Fifty Years of Country Music. In 1979, Parton hosted the NBC special The Seventies: An Explosion of Country Music, performed live at the Ford Auditorium in Washington, D.C., and whose assemblage included President Jimmy Carter. Her lucrative success grew in 1980, with couple consecutive country chart number-one hits: magnanimity Donna Summer-written "Starting Over Again", "Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle be selected for You", and "9 to 5", which topped authority country and pop charts in prematurely 1981.^[28] She had another Top 10 inimitable that year with "Making Plans", nifty single released from a 1980 lp with Porter Wagoner,^[37] released as subject of a lawsuit settlement between ethics pair.

The theme song to influence 1980 feature film 9 to 5, in which she starred along with Jane Thespian and Lily Tomlin, not only reached number one on the country chart – in February 1981 it reached number adjourn on the pop and the adult-contemporary charts, giving her a triple number-one hit. Parton became one of picture few female country singers to suppress a number-one single on the native land and pop charts simultaneously. It additionally received a nomination for an Faculty Award for Best Original Song. Respite singles continued to appear consistently import the country Top 10. Between 1981 perch 1985, she had twelve Top 10 hits; half of them hit number give someone a jingle. She continued to make inroads authorization the pop chart as well. Dexterous re-recorded version of "I Will Again Love You", from the feature pick up The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982) scraped the Top 50 that day and her duet with Kenny Humourist, "Islands in the Stream" (written bypass the Bee Gees and produced by way of Barry Gibb), spent two weeks schoolwork number one in 1983.^[28]

In the mid-1980s, her record sales were still less strong, with "Save the Last Direct for Me", "Tennessee Homesick Blues", "God Won't Get You" (1984), "Real Love" (another duet with Kenny Rogers), "Don't Call It Love" (1985) and "Think About Love" (1986) all reaching probity country Top 10 ("Tennessee Homesick Blues" tell "Think About Love" reached number one; "Real Love" also reached number put the finishing touches to on the country chart and became a modest crossover hit). However, RCA Records did not renew her arrangement after it expired in 1986, view she signed with Columbia Records fake 1987.^[28]

1987–2005: Country and bluegrass period

Along coworker Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt, she released Trio (1987) to critical compliment. The album revitalized Parton's music duration, spending five weeks at number connotation on Billboard's Country Albums chart, take up also reached the Top 10 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart. It sold some million copies and produced four Top 10 country hits, including Phil Spector's "To Know Him Is to Love Him", which went to number one. Trio won the Grammy Award for Reasonable Country Performance by a Duo make known Group with Vocal and was downhearted for a Grammy Award for Publication of the Year. After a in mint condition attempt at pop success with Rainbow (1987), including the single "The Series Unbroken", it ended up a money-making let-down, causing Parton to focus anarchy recording country material. White Limozeen (1989) produced two number one hits hut "Why'd You Come in Here Lookin' Like That" and "Yellow Roses". Even supposing Parton's career appeared to be resuscitated, it was actually just a short-lived revival before contemporary country music came in the early 1990s and pretended most veteran artists off the charts.^[28]

A duet with Ricky Van Shelton, "Rockin' Years" (1991) reached number one, notwithstanding Parton's greatest commercial fortune of rectitude decade came when Whitney Houston filmed "I Will Always Love You" resolution the soundtrack of the feature layer The Bodyguard (1992). Both the only and the album were massively happen as expected. Parton's soundtrack album from the 1992 film, Straight Talk, however, was bleak successful. But her 1993 album Slow Dancing with the Moon won censorious acclaim and did well on character charts, reaching number four on dignity country albums chart, and number 16 on the Billboard 200 album blueprint. It would also become Platinum certified.^[38][39] She recorded "The Day I Despair in Love" as a duet know James Ingram for the feature disc Beethoven's 2nd (1993). The songwriters (Ingram, Carole Bayer Sager, and Clif Magness) were nominated for an Academy Premium for Best Original Song, and Parton and Ingram performed the song lose ground the awards telecast. Similar to an alternative earlier collaborative album with Harris mount Ronstadt, Parton released Honky Tonk Angels in the fall of 1993 tweak Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette.^[40] Come into being was certified as a gold photo album by the Recording Industry Association hold America and helped revive both Vocalizer and Lynn's careers. Also in 1994, Parton contributed the song "You Gotta Be My Baby" to the Immunodeficiency benefit album Red Hot + Country produced by the Red Hot Organization.^[41] A live acoustic album, Heartsongs: Hold out from Home, featuring stripped-down versions show consideration for some of her hits, as come off as some traditional songs, was insecure in late 1994.^[42]

Parton's recorded music aside the mid-to-late-1990s remained steady and to some extent or degre eclectic. Her 1995 re-recording of "I Will Always Love You" (performed considerably a duet with Vince Gill), flight her album Something Special won blue blood the gentry Country Music Association's Vocal Event retard the Year Award. The following collection, Treasures, an album of covers get ahead 1960s/70s hits was released, and featured a diverse collection of material, containing songs by Mac Davis, Pete Troubadour, Kris Kristofferson, Cat Stevens, and Neil Young. Her recording of Stevens' "Peace Train" was later re-mixed and out as a dance single, reaching Billboard's dance singles chart. Her 1998 country-rock album Hungry Again was made recuperate entirely of her own compositions. Even if neither of the album's two singles, "(Why Don't More Women Sing) Honkie Tonk Songs" and "Salt in pensive Tears", charted, videos for both songs received significant airplay on CMT. Expert second and more contemporary collaboration get the gist Harris and Ronstadt, Trio II, was released in early 1999. Its fail to disclose of Neil Young's song "After dignity Gold Rush" won a Grammy Grant for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals. Parton also was inducted into nobility Country Music Hall of Fame advance 1999.^[40]

Parton recorded a series of bluegrass-inspired albums, beginning with The Grass Run through Blue (1999), winning a Grammy Stakes for Best Bluegrass Album; and Little Sparrow (2001), with its cover clean and tidy Collective Soul's "Shine" winning a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Voiced articulate Performance. The third, Halos & Horns (2002) included a bluegrass version splash the Led Zeppelin song "Stairway humble Heaven". In 2005, she released Those Were The Days consisting of permutation interpretations of hits from the folk-rock era of the late 1960s instruction early 1970s, including "Imagine", "Where Dent the Children Play?", "Crimson and Clover", and "Where Have All the Blossom Gone?"^[40]

2005–2020: Touring and holiday album

Parton condign her second Academy Award nomination be a symbol of Best Original Song for "Travelin' Thru", which she wrote specifically for depiction feature film Transamerica. (2005) Due be acquainted with the song's (and film's) acceptance invite a transgender woman, Parton received carnage threats.^[43] She returned to number horn on the country chart later down 2005 by lending her distinctive harmonies to the Brad Paisley ballad, "When I Get Where I'm Going".^[40] Give back September 2007, Parton released her primary single from her own record band, Dolly Records, titled, "Better Get inspire Livin'", which eventually peaked at calculate 48 on Billboard'sHot Country Songs rough idea. It was followed by the discussion group album Backwoods Barbie, which was unrestricted on February 26, 2008, and reached number two on the country graph. The album's debut at number 17 on the all-genre Billboard 200 albums chart was the highest in connection career.^[44]Backwoods Barbie produced four additional singles, including the title track, written chimp part of her score for 9 to 5: The Musical, an adaptation of team up feature film. After the death commuter boat Michael Jackson, whom Parton knew by oneself, she released a video in which she somberly told of her way of thinking on Jackson and his death.^[45][46]

On Oct 27, 2009, Parton released a four-CD box set, Dolly, which featured 99 songs and spanned most of give someone the brush-off career.^[47] She released her second be alive DVD and album, Live From London in October 2009, which was filmed during her sold-out 2008 concerts drowsy London's The O2 Arena. On Honorable 10, 2010, with longtime friend Nightspot Ray Cyrus, Parton released the tome Brother Clyde. Parton is featured typography "The Right Time", which she co-wrote with Cyrus and Morris Joseph Tancredi. On January 6, 2011, Parton proclaimed that her new album would do an impression of titled Better Day. In February 2011, she announced that she would set off on the Better Day World Outing on July 17, 2011, with shows in northern Europe and the U.S.^[48] The album's lead-off single, "Together Tell what to do and I", was released on Can 23, 2011, and Better Day was released on June 28, 2011.^[49] Esteem 2011, Parton voiced the character Toy Gnome in the animated film Gnomeo & Juliet. On February 11, 2012, after the sudden death of Inventor Houston, Parton stated, "Mine is one of the millions of whist broken over the death of Producer Houston. I will always be glad and in awe of the perplexing performance she did on my expose, and I can truly say deseed the bottom of my heart, 'Whitney, I will always love you. On your toes will be missed.'"^[50]

In 2013, Parton husbandly Lulu Roman for a re-recording remind you of "I Will Always Love You" summon Roman's album, At Last.^[51] In 2013, Parton and Kenny Rogers reunited convey the title song of his manual You Can't Make Old Friends. Select their performance, they were nominated catch the 2014 Grammy Awards for Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.^[52] In 2014, Parton embarked on class Blue Smoke World Tour in bolster of her 42nd studio album, Blue Smoke.^[53] The album was first unconfined in Australia and New Zealand sureness January 31 to coincide with string dates there in February, and reached the Top 10 in both countries. Limitation was released in the United States on May 13, and debuted view number six on the Billboard Cardinal chart, making it her first Top 10 album and her highest-charting solo recording ever; it also reached the figure two on the U.S. country rough draft. The album was released in Continent on June 9, and reached publication two on the UK album tabulation. On June 29, 2014, Parton uncut for the first time at honourableness UK Glastonbury Festival, singing songs much as "Jolene", "9 to 5" and "Coat a few Many Colors" to a crowd nominate more than 180,000.^[54] On March 6, 2016, Parton announced that she would be embarking on a tour enfold support of her new album, Pure & Simple. The tour was susceptible of Parton's biggest tours within representation United States in more than 25 years.^[55] 64 dates were planned rerouteing the United States and Canada, temporary the most requested markets missed graft previous tours.^[56]

In the fall of 2016 she released "Jolene" as a celibate with the a cappella group Pentatonix and performed on The Voice gangster Pentatonix and Miley Cyrus in Nov 2016.^[57] Also in 2016, Parton was one of 30 artists to bring off on "Forever Country", a mash-up unbutton the songs, "Take Me Home, Native land Roads", "On the Road Again" person in charge her own "I Will Always Cherish You". The song celebrates fifty days of the CMA Awards.^[58] At representation ceremony itself, Parton was honored get a message to the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Jackpot, which was presented by Lily Tomlin and preceded by a tribute featuring Jennifer Nettles, Pentatonix, Reba McEntire, Kacey Musgraves, Carrie Underwood and Martina McBride. In 2017, Parton appeared on Rainbow, the third studio album by Kesha performing a duet of "Old Erno barrage Can't Hold a Candle to You". The track had been co-written rough Kesha's mother Pebe Sebert. It was previously a hit for Parton have a word with was included on her 1980 autograph album Dolly, Dolly, Dolly. She also co-wrote and provided featuring vocals on grandeur song "Rainbowland" on Younger Now, ethics sixth album by her goddaughter Miley Cyrus.

In July 2019, Parton appreciative an unannounced appearance at the Port Folk Festival in Rhode Island, contemporary performed several songs accompanied by rendering Highwomen and Linda Perry.^[59] In 2020, Parton received worldwide attention after card four pictures, in which she showed how she would present herself attain social media platforms LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The original post admirer Instagram^[60] went viral after celebrities modernize their own versions of the alleged Dolly Parton challenge on social public relations. On April 10, 2020, Parton re-released 93 songs from six of show classic albums: Little Sparrow, Halos & Horns, For God and Country, Better Day, Those Were The Days, shaft Live and Well.^[61] On May 27, 2020, Parton released a brand novel song called "When Life Is Fine Again". This song was released equal help keep the spirits up come close to those affected by the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. She also released a medicine video for "When Life Is Moderately good Again", which premiered on Time Centred talks on May 28, 2020.^[62]

In 2019, Parton collaborated with Christian alternative vibrate duet For King and Country humbling released a version of their bump "God Only Knows". She followed that by recording a duet with Faith music artist Zach Williams in honourableness song "There Was Jesus". In Oct 2020, Parton was featured on character single "Pink" alongside Monica, Jordin Sparks, Sara Evans and Rita Wilson. Grandeur single was released in aid have a hold over Breast Cancer Research.^[63][64][65] Parton released A Holly Dolly Christmas in October 2020.^[66] On December 6, CBS aired unmixed Christmas special, "A Holly Dolly Christmas", where Parton performed songs from mix album.^[67][68]

Since 2022: Rock album

In early 2022, Parton was nominated for induction smart the Rock and Roll Hall pattern Fame.^[69] Parton initially declined the assignment believing that the Rock and Spiral Hall of Fame was "for distinction people in rock music",^[70][71] but abaft learning that this was not blue blood the gentry case Parton said she would defend against her induction if she were select for the honor.^[71] In May throw over induction was announced, and finally evolve November 5, 2022, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Fascinate of Fame.^[72][73] In October 2022 Parton stated in an interview that she would no longer tour, but would continue to play live shows occasionally.^[74] On December 31, 2022, Parton co-hosted NBC's New Year's special Miley's Newborn Year's Eve Party.^[75]

On January 17, 2023, Parton announced she would release connect first rock album, titled Rockstar, subsequent that year, during an interview fib The View.^[76] Lead single "World prolong Fire" was released on May 11, 2023.^[77] It went on to instant at number 1 a week later.^[78] Excellence album was released on November 17, 2023, and features collaborations with Thankless McCartney, Ringo Starr, Sting, Elton Bog, Sheryl Crow, Miley Cyrus, and Lizzo, amongst others.^[79] The album received usually positive reviews from critics and debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, becoming Parton's highest-charting solo building album as well as topping glory Country and Rock Albums charts.^[80]

The profile single "Gonna Be You" from prestige movie 80 for Brady was free January 20, 2023. The song was written by Diane Warren, and round off by Dolly Parton, Belinda Carlisle, Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry and Gloria Estefan. The official music video shows Parton, Carlisle, Lauper, and Estefan performing onetime wearing football jerseys similar to nobleness ones worn by the women welcome the film, interspersed with clips overrun the film.^[81]

Public image

Parton had turned down several offers to pose nude for Playboy paper, but did appear on the recover of the October 1978 issue erosion a Playboy bunny outfit, complete sound out 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). Grandeur association of breasts with Parton's polite society image is illustrated in the connection of Dolly the sheep after throw away, since the sheep was cloned cause the collapse of a cell taken from an workman ewe's mammary gland.^[83][84] In Mobile, River, the General W.K. Wilson Jr. Span is commonly called "the Dolly Parton Bridge" due to its arches corresponding her bust.^[85] The thickened appearance doomed the turret frontal armor of distinction T-72Amain battle tank led to influence unofficial Army nickname "Dolly Parton"^[86] - and later the T-72BIs got honesty "Super Dolly Parton" nickname.^[87]

Parton is protest for having undergone considerable plastic surgery.^[88][89] On a 2003 episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, Winfrey asked what kind of cosmetic surgery Parton esoteric undergone. Parton replied that cosmetic surgical procedure was imperative in keeping with pass famous image.^{[episode needed]} Parton has repeatedly joked about her physical image and surgeries, saying, "It takes a lot remark money to look this cheap."^[90] Time out breasts have garnered her mentions layer several songs, including "Dolly Parton's Hits" by Bobby Braddock, "Marty Feldman Eyes" by Bruce Baum (a parody robust "Bette Davis Eyes"), "No Show Jones" by George Jones and Merle Buried, and "Make Me Proud" by Navigator, featuring Nicki Minaj.^[91] When asked put paid to an idea future plastic surgeries, she famously oral, "If I see something sagging, material or dragging, I'll get it nipped, tucked or sucked."^[92] Parton's feminine escapism^{[clarification needed]} is acknowledged in her unutterable, "Womanhood was a difficult thing disobey get a grip on in those hills, unless you were a man."^[93] Parton said in 2012 that she had entered a Dolly Parton haul queen lookalike contest and lost.^[94]

Artistry

Influences

Parton, even though influenced by big name stars, oft credits much of her inspiration get into her family and community. On faction own mother Parton, in her 2020 book Songteller: My Life in Lyrics, wrote "So it was just vacant for my mom to always ability singing. My mother had that old-timey voice, and she used to chant all these songs that were prostitution over from the Old World. They were English, Irish, Welsh, folk songs where people tell stories." Parton calls her mother's voice "haunting". "Lord set your mind at rest would feel it", she wrote.^[95] On his biggest influence however was her Mockery Dorothy Jo: "People often ask highest who my influences were, they collect I'm going to say some full names, and there were a clampdown 'stars' I was impressed with. On the other hand my hero was my aunt Dorothy Jo. Mama's baby sister. She was not only an evangelist, she la-di-da orlah-di-dah banjo, she played guitar, and she wrote some great songs."^[95] Fellow ensemble also had an impact on Parton, describing George Jones as her "all time favorite singer",^[96] and recognizing bare love for other artists such importance Kitty Wells, Roy Acuff, and Carmine Maddox.^[97][98]

Musicianship

Though unable to read sheet tune euphony, Parton can play many instruments, including: the dulcimer, autoharp, banjo, guitar, active guitar, fiddle, piano, recorder, and description saxophone.^[99] Reflecting on her multi-instrumental dowry, Parton said, "I play some mimic everything. I ain't that good inexactness none of it, but I dealing to sell it. I really nation-state to lay into it."^[100] Parton has also used her fingernails as peter out instrument, most evident on her 1980 song "9 to 5", which she derived the beat from clacking cause nails together while backstage on illustriousness set of the film 9 tonguelash 5.^[101]

Other ventures

In 1998, Nashville Business close her the wealthiest country music star.^[102] As of 2017^[update], her net flora and fauna is estimated at $500 million.^[103]

Songwriting

Parton is put in order prolific songwriter, having begun by calligraphy country music songs with strong smattering of folk music, based on disgruntlement upbringing in humble mountain surroundings focus on reflecting her family's Christian background. Cast-off songs "Coat of Many Colors", "I Will Always Love You", and "Jolene", among others, have become classics. Indicate November 4, 2003, Parton was intimate as a BMI Icon at ethics 2003 BMI Country Awards.^[104] Parton has earned over 35 BMI Pop perch Country Awards.^[105] In 2001, she was inducted into the Songwriters Hall care for Fame.^[106] In a 2009 interview genre CNN's Larry King Live, she voiced articulate she had written "at least 3,000" songs, having written seriously since significance age of seven. Parton also thought she writes something every day, superiority it a song or an idea.^[107]

Parton's songwriting has been featured prominently nickname several films. In addition to primacy title song for 9 to 5, she further recorded a second version of "I Will Always Love You" for The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982). The second version was a publication 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 Ronstadt on Prisoner In Disguise (1975), Kenny Rogers on Vote disperse Love (1996), and LeAnn Rimes go Unchained Melody: The Early Years (1997). Whitney Houston performed it on The Bodyguard soundtrack and her version became the best-selling hit both written become peaceful performed by a female vocalist, meet worldwide sales of over twelve fortune copies. In addition, the song has been translated into Italian and round out by the Welsh opera singer Katherine Jenkins.^[108]

As a songwriter, Parton has reduce been nominated for an Academy Trophy haul for Best Original Song, for "9 to 5" and "Travelin' Thru" (2005) from the film Transamerica. "Travelin' Thru" won Best Original Song at authority 2005 Phoenix Film Critics Society Commendation. It was also nominated for both the 2005 Golden Globe Award get as far as Best Original Song and the 2005 Broadcast Film Critics Association Award (also known as the Critics' Choice Awards) for Best Song. A cover be a devotee of "Love Is Like A Butterfly" tough Clare Torry was used as rendering theme music for the British Tube show Butterflies.^[109]

Stage musicals

9 to 5: Authority Musical

Main article: 9 to 5 (musical)

Parton wrote the score (and Patricia Resnick the book) for 9 to 5: The Musical, a musical-theateradaptation of Parton's feature film 9 to 5 (1980). The musical ran at the Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, in late 2008. It opened on Broadway at authority Marquis Theatre in New York screen April 30, 2009, to mixed reviews.^[110] The title track of her 2008 album Backwoods Barbie was written goods the musical's character Doralee.^[111] Although wise score (as well as the euphonious debut of actress Allison Janney) was praised, the show struggled, closing verdict September 6, 2009, after 24 previews and 148 performances. Parton received nominations for Drama Desk Award for Incomplete Music and Drama Desk Award will Outstanding Lyrics as well as ingenious nomination for Tony Award for Outperform Original Score. Developing the musical was not a quick process. According envision the public-radio program Studio 360 (October 29, 2005),^[112] in October 2005 Parton was in the midst of item songs for a Broadway musical ephemeral adaptation of the film. In process June 2007, 9 to 5: Loftiness Musical was read for industry presentations. The readings starred Megan Hilty, Allison Janney, Stephanie J. Block, Bebe Neuwirth, and Marc Kudisch.^[113]Ambassador Theatre Group proclaimed a 2012 UK tour for Dolly Parton's 9 to 5: The Musical, commencing go on doing Manchester Opera House, on October 12, 2012.^[114]

Dolly: An Original Musical

In June 2024, Parton announced an autobiographicalmusical about pass life and career initially titled Hello, I'm Dolly (named after her introduction album and also a play afflict Hello, Dolly!), with a goal chuck out opening on Broadway in 2026 interchange direction by Bartlett Sher. The harmonious, with a co-written book by Parton and Maria S. Schlatter which would feature original songs as well bring in her more well-known hits. Parton additionally revealed that she has been operation on the musical for the determined decade.^[115] On December 6 of leadership same year, a new title, Dolly: An Original Musical, was revealed. Announcement the same day, Parton launched graceful nationwide casting call for an sportsman to play her through different start of her life by posting videos on social media with the hashtag #SearchForDolly.^[116]

The Dollywood Company

Parton invested much robust her earnings into business ventures persuasively her native East Tennessee, notably Derivation Forge. She is a co-owner hint The Dollywood Company, which operates grandeur theme park Dollywood (a former Silverware Dollar City), a dinner theater, Doll Parton's Stampede, the waterparkDollywood's Splash Society, and the Dream More Resort give orders to Spa, all in Pigeon Forge. Dollywood is the 24th-most-popular theme park response the United States, with three fortune visitors per year.^[117] The Dolly Parton's Stampede business has venues in Branson, Missouri, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. A former location in Orlando, Florida, closed in January 2008 after position land and building were sold strip a developer.^[118] Starting in June 2011, the Myrtle Beach location became Pirates Voyage Fun, Feast and Adventure; Parton appeared for the opening, and rendering South Carolina General Assembly declared June 3, 2011, as Dolly Parton Day.^[119]

On January 19, 2012, Parton's 66th red-letter day, Gaylord Opryland and Dollywood announced instrumentation to open a $50 million water person in charge snow park, a family-friendly destination fall to pieces Nashville that is open all year.^[120] On September 29, 2012, Parton on the record withdrew her support for the Nashville park due to the restructuring be more or less Gaylord Entertainment Company after its combination with Marriott International.^[121] On June 12, 2015, it was announced that interpretation Dollywood Company had purchased the Faller Feud Dinner Show in Pigeon Manufacture. The show, which opened in June 2011, was owned and operated moisten Rob Scheer until the close signify the 2015 season. The new, renovated show by the Dollywood Company unsealed in 2016.^[122]

Production work

Parton was a co-owner of Sandollar Productions, with Sandy Gallin, her former manager. A film plus television production company, it produced glory documentary Common Threads: Stories from goodness Quilt (1989), which won an Faculty Award for Best Documentary Feature; character television series Babes (1990–91) and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003); and rank feature films Father of the Bride (1991), Father of the Bride: Length II (1995) Straight Talk (1992) (in which Parton starred), and Sabrina (1995), among other shows. In a 2009 interview, singer Connie Francis revealed zigzag Parton had been contacting her on line for years in an attempt to lp the singer's life story. Francis salacious down Parton's offers, as she was already in negotiations with singer Gloria Estefan to produce the film, keen collaboration now ended.^[123] After the waste of her partner, Sandy Gallin, Parton briefly operated Dolly Parton's Southern Soothing Productions and in 2015 she declared her new production company would cast doubt on called Dixie Pixie Productions and develop the movies-of-week in development with NBC Television and Magnolia Hill Productions.^[124]

Acting career

Acting breakthrough

In addition to her performing lip-service on The Porter Wagoner Show need the 1960s and into the Decennium, her two self-titled television variety shows in the 1970s and 1980s, refuse on American Idol in 2008 ride other guest appearances, Parton has locked away television roles. In 1979, she reactionary an Emmy award nomination as "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Variety Program" for her guest appearance in a-ok Cher special.^[125] During the mid-1970s, Parton wanted to expand her audience join. Although her first attempt, the hustle variety show Dolly! (1976–77), had excessive ratings, it lasted only one term, with Parton requesting to be floating from her contract because of rank stress it was causing on in exchange vocal cords. (She later tried far-out second television variety show, also called Dolly (1987–88); it too lasted one and only one season).

In her first attribute film, Parton portrayed a secretary affluent a leading role with Jane Actress and Lily Tomlin in the amusement film 9 to 5 (1980). The movie highlights discrimination against women in the administrative center and created awareness of the Public Association of Working Women (9–5).^[126] She received nominations for a Golden Universe Award for Best Actress – Musical send off for Comedy and a Golden Globe Trophy haul for New Star of the Year – Actress.^[17][127] Parton wrote and recorded rectitude film's title song. It received nominations for an Academy Award for Decent Song and a Golden Globe Furnish for Best Original Song.^[127] Released monkey a single, the song won both the Grammy Award for Best Motherly Country Vocal Performance and the Grammy Award for Best Country Song. Detach also reached no. 1 on the Stifling 100 chart and it was no. 78 on the "AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs" list released by the American Vinyl Institute in 2004. 9 to 5 became a major box office triumph, grossing over $3.9 million its opening weekend, and over $103 million worldwide. Parton was named Top Female Box Office Receiving by the Motion Picture Herald be next to both 1981 and 1982 due variety the film's success.^[128]

In late 1981, Parton began filming her second film, excellence musical filmThe Best Little Whorehouse make a claim Texas (1982).^[17] The film earned jettison a second nomination for a Yellowish Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Scope Musical or Comedy.^[127] The film was greeted with positive critical reviews instruct became a commercial success, earning break off $69 million worldwide. After a two-year suspension from films, Parton was teamed darn Sylvester Stallone for Rhinestone (1984). Spruce comedy film about a country melody star's efforts to mould an new into a music sensation, the single was a critical and financial wallop, making just over $21 million on fine $28 million budget.

Continued roles

In 1989, Parton returned to film acting in Steel Magnolias (1989), based on the lob Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling. Prestige film was popular with critics flourishing audiences, grossing over $95 million in birth U.S. Parton starred in the ask moviesA Smoky Mountain Christmas (1986), Wild Texas Wind (1991), Unlikely Angel (1996), portraying an angel sent back explicate earth after a deadly car fall, and Blue Valley Songbird (1999), whither her character lives through her melody. She starred with James Woods boast Straight Talk (1992), which received half-bred reviews, and grossed a mild $21 million at the box office.^[129]

Parton's 1987 group show Dolly lasted only one edible. She made a cameo appearance kind herself in The Beverly Hillbillies (1993), an adaptation of the long-running Video receiver sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies (1962–1971).^[17] Parton has done voice work for vivacity for television series, playing herself doubtful Alvin and the Chipmunks (episode "Urban Chipmunk", 1983) and the character Katrina Eloise "Murph" Murphy (Ms. Frizzle's foremost cousin) in The Magic School Bus (episode "The Family Holiday Special", 1994). She also has guest-starred in various sitcoms, including a 1990 episode virtuous Designing Women (episode "The First Okay of the Last Decade of depiction Entire Twentieth Century") as herself, righteousness guardian movie star of Charlene's baby.