Jump to content

Dolly Parton

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dolly Rebecca Parton
Parton in 2010
Born
Dolly Rebecca Parton

(1946-01-19) January 19, 1946 (age 78)
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • musician
  • actress
  • philanthropist
  • businesswoman
Years active1955–present
Spouse
Carl Dean
(m. 1966)
Relatives
AwardsFull list
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • banjo
  • saxophone
  • dulcimer
  • harmonica
  • violin
  • fiddle
  • autoharp
Discography
Labels
Websitedollyparton.com
Signature

Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and philanthropist, known primarily for her decades-long career in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album debut in 1967 with Hello, I'm Dolly, which led to success during the remainder of the 1960s (both as a solo artist and with a series of duet albums with Porter Wagoner), before her sales and chart peak arrived during the 1970s and continued into the 1980s. Some of Parton's albums in the 1990s did not sell as well, but she achieved commercial success again in the new millennium and has released albums on various independent labels since 2000, including her own label, Dolly Records.

With a career spanning 60 years, Parton has been described as a "country legend" and has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making her 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 artist (tied with Reba McEntire). She has 44 career Top 10 country albums, a record for any artist, and she has 110 career-charted singles over the past 40 years. She has composed over 3,000 songs, including "I Will Always Love You" (a two-time U.S. country chart-topper, and an international hit for Whitney Houston), "Jolene", "Coat of Many Colors", and "9 to 5". As an actress, she has starred in the films 9 to 5 in 1980 and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas in 1982 (for each of which she earned Best Actress Golden Globe nominations) as well as Rhinestone in 1984, Steel Magnolias in 1989, Straight Talk in 1992, and Joyful Noise in 2012.

Parton has received 11 Grammy Awards (and 50 nominations), including the Lifetime Achievement Award. She has won ten Country Music Association Awards, including Entertainer of the Year. She is one of seven female artists to win the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year Award. Parton has five Academy of Country Music Awards (including Entertainer of the Year), four People's Choice Awards, and three American Music Awards. She is also in a select group to have received at least one nomination from the Academy Awards, Grammy Awards, Tony Awards, and Emmy Awards. In 1999, Parton was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2005, she received the National Medal of Arts, and in 2022, she was nominated for and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a nomination she had initially declined but ultimately accepted.

Outside of her work in the music industry, she also co-owns The Dollywood Company, which manages a number of entertainment venues including the Dollywood theme park, the Splash Country water park, and a number of dinner theatre venues such as The Dolly Parton Stampede and Pirates Voyage. She has founded a number of charitable and philanthropic organizations, chief among them being the Dollywood Foundation, who manage a number of projects to bring education and poverty relief to East Tennessee, where she was raised.

Early life and career

[edit]

Dolly Rebecca Parton was born on January 19, 1946, in a one-room cabin on the banks of the Little Pigeon River in Pittman Center, Tennessee.[4] 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.[5] Parton's father, known as "Lee", worked in the mountains of East Tennessee, first as a sharecropper and later tending his own small tobacco farm and acreage. He also worked construction jobs to supplement the farm's small income. Despite her father's illiteracy, Parton has often commented that he was one of the smartest people she has ever known with regard to business and making a profit.[6][7][8]

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 with Smoky Mountain folklore and ancient ballads. Having Welsh ancestors, Avie Lee knew many old ballads that immigrants from the British Isles brought to southern Appalachia in the 18th and 19th century.[failed verification][9][10] Avie Lee's father, Jake Owens, was a Pentecostal 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 the Pittman 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 park Dollywood.[11] 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.[6]

Parton has described her family as being "dirt poor".[12] Parton's father paid missionary Dr. Robert F. Thomas with a sack of cornmeal for delivering her.[13] Parton would write a song 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 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 small subsistence farm on Locust Ridge.[15] This was a predominantly Pentecostal area located north of the Greenbrier Valley of the Great Smoky Mountains. Music played an important role in her early life. She was brought up in the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee),[16] 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 her first real guitar.[17][18]

Parton began performing as a child,[19] singing on local radio and television programs in the East Tennessee area.[20] By ten, she was appearing on The Cas Walker Show on both WIVK Radio and WBIR-TV in Knoxville, Tennessee. At 13, she was recording (the single "Puppy Love") on a small Louisiana label, Goldband Records,[21] and appeared at the Grand Ole Opry, where she first met Johnny Cash, who encouraged her to follow her own instincts regarding her career.[22]

Billboard advertisement, September 4, 1965

After graduating from Sevier County High School in 1964, Parton moved to Nashville the next day.[6][21] Her initial success came as a songwriter, having signed with Combine Publishing shortly after her arrival;[23] with her frequent songwriting partner, her uncle Bill Owens, she wrote several charting singles during this time, including two Top 10 hits for Bill Phillips: "Put It Off Until Tomorrow," and "The Company You Keep" (1966), and Skeeter Davis's number 11 hit "Fuel to the Flame" (1967).[24] Her songs were recorded by many other artists during this period, including Kitty Wells and Hank Williams Jr.[25] She signed with Monument Records in 1965, at age 19; she initially was pitched as a bubblegum pop singer. She released a string of singles, but the only one that charted, "Happy, Happy Birthday Baby", did not crack the Billboard Hot 100. Although she expressed a desire to record country material, Monument resisted, thinking her unique, high soprano voice was not suited to the genre.

After her composition "Put It Off Until Tomorrow", as recorded by Bill Phillips (with Parton, uncredited, on harmony), 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 by Curly Putman, one of the few songs during this era that she recorded but did not write), 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.[26]

Music career

[edit]

1967–1975: Country music success

[edit]
Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton in 1969

In 1967, musician and country music entertainer Porter Wagoner invited Parton to join his organization, offering her a regular spot on his weekly syndicated television program The Porter Wagoner Show, and in his road show. As documented in her 1994 autobiography,[27] initially, much of Wagoner's audience was unhappy that Norma Jean, the performer whom Parton had replaced, had left the show, and was reluctant to accept Parton (sometimes chanting loudly for Norma Jean from the audience).[28] 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 a duet with Wagoner. That song, a remake of Tom Paxton's "The Last Thing on My Mind", released in 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 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 named Vocal Group of the Year in 1968 by the Country 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,[29] 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 record Jimmie Rodgers' "Mule Skinner Blues", a gimmick that worked. The record shot to number three, followed closely, in February 1971, by her first number-one single, "Joshua". For the next two years, she had numerous solo hits – including her signature song "Coat of Many Colors" (number four, 1971) – in addition to her duets. Top 20 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).[30]

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 eventually also 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 organization; the pair performed their last duet concert in April 1974, and she stopped appearing on his TV show in mid-1974, although they remained affiliated. He helped produce her records through 1975.[27] The pair continued to release duet albums, their final release being 1975's Say Forever You'll Be Mine.[31]

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.[32] 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". In a 2019 episode of the Sky Arts music series Brian Johnson: A Life on the Road, Parton described finding old cassette tapes and realizing that she had composed both "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You" in the same songwriting session, telling Johnson "Buddy, that was a good night." Parton again topped the singles chart in 1975 with "The Bargain Store".[33]

1976–1986: Pop transition

[edit]
Parton in 1977

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 as Olivia Newton-John, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt.[27]

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 with Sandy Gallin, who served as her personal manager for the next 25 years. With her 1976 album All 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 – the album contained covers of the pop and R&B classics "My Girl" and "Higher and Higher" – and production.[34] 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.

After New Harvest's disappointing crossover performance, Parton turned to high-profile pop producer Gary Klein for her next album. The result, 1977's Here You Come Again, became her first million-seller, topping the country album chart and reaching number 20 on the 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, But It's All Right" topped the country chart and crossed over to the pop Top 20. 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.[35]

With Carol Burnett, 1979

In 1978, Parton won a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for her Here You Come Again album. She continued to have hits with "Heartbreaker" (1978), "Baby I'm Burning" (1979) and "You're the Only One" (1979) all of which charted in the pop Top 40 and topped the country chart. "Sweet Summer Lovin'" (1979) became the first Parton single in two years to not top the country chart (though it did reach the Top 10). During this period, her visibility continued to increase, with multiple television appearances. A highly publicized candid interview on a Barbara Walters Special in 1977 (timed to coincide with Here You Come Again's release) was followed by appearances in 1978 on Cher's ABC television special, and her own joint special with Carol Burnett on CBS, Dolly & Carol in Nashville.

Parton served as one of three co-hosts (along with Roy Clark and Glen 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 Theatre in Washington, D.C., and whose audience included President Jimmy Carter. Her commercial success grew in 1980, with three consecutive country chart number-one hits: the Donna Summer-written "Starting Over Again", "Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You", and "9 to 5", which topped the country and pop charts in early 1981.[27] She had another Top 10 single that year with "Making Plans", a single released from a 1980 album with Porter Wagoner,[36] released as part of a lawsuit settlement between the pair.

Dolly Parton holding a baby in Honolulu, Hawaii, 1983

The theme song to the 1980 feature film 9 to 5, in which she starred along with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, not only reached number one on the country chart – in February 1981 it reached number one on the pop and the adult-contemporary charts, 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 an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Her singles continued to appear consistently in the country Top 10. Between 1981 and 1985, she had twelve Top 10 hits; half of them hit number one. She continued to make inroads on the pop chart as well. A re-recorded version of "I Will Always Love You", from the feature film The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982) scraped the Top 50 that year and her duet with Kenny Rogers, "Islands in the Stream" (written by the Bee Gees and produced by Barry Gibb), spent two weeks at number one in 1983.[27]

In the mid-1980s, her record sales were still relatively strong, with "Save the Last Dance 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 the country Top 10 ("Tennessee Homesick Blues" and "Think About Love" reached number one; "Real Love" also reached number one on the country chart and became a modest crossover hit). However, RCA Records did not renew her contract after it expired in 1986, and she signed with Columbia Records in 1987.[27]

1987–2005: Country and bluegrass period

[edit]

Along with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt, she released Trio (1987) to critical acclaim. The album revitalized Parton's music career, spending five weeks at number one on Billboard's Country Albums chart, and also reached the Top 10 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart. It sold several 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 Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Album of the Year. After a further attempt at pop success with Rainbow (1987), including the single "The River Unbroken", it ended up a commercial let-down, 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.[27]

Dolly Parton at a recording session c. 1989

A duet with Ricky 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 film The 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 album Slow 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 the Billboard 200 album chart. It would also become Platinum certified.[37][38] She recorded "The Day I Fall in Love" as a duet with James Ingram for the feature film Beethoven's 2nd (1993). The songwriters (Ingram, Carole Bayer Sager, and Clif 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 Harris and Ronstadt, Parton released Honky Tonk Angels in the fall of 1993 with Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette.[39] It was certified as a gold album by the Recording 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 album Red Hot + Country produced by the Red Hot Organization.[40] 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.[41]

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 with Vince Gill), from her album Something Special won the Country Music Association's Vocal 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 by Mac Davis, Pete Seeger, Kris Kristofferson, Cat Stevens, and Neil Young. Her recording of Stevens' "Peace Train" was later re-mixed and released as a dance single, reaching Billboard's dance singles chart. Her 1998 country-rock album Hungry 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 on CMT. 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 a Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals. Parton also was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999.[39]

Parton recorded a series of bluegrass-inspired albums, beginning with The Grass Is Blue (1999), winning a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album; and Little Sparrow (2001), with its cover of Collective Soul's "Shine" winning a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. The third, Halos & Horns (2002) included a bluegrass version of the Led Zeppelin song "Stairway to Heaven". In 2005, she released Those Were The Days consisting of her interpretations of hits from the folk-rock era of the late 1960s and early 1970s, including "Imagine", "Where Do the Children Play?", "Crimson and Clover", and "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?"[39]

2005–2020: Touring and holiday album

[edit]
Dolly Parton introducing Coat of Many Colors in 2009

Parton earned her second Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for "Travelin' Thru", which she wrote specifically for the feature film Transamerica. (2005) Due to the song's (and film's) acceptance of a transgender woman, Parton received death threats.[42] She returned to number one on the country chart later in 2005 by lending her distinctive harmonies to the Brad Paisley ballad, "When I Get Where I'm Going".[39] 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 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. It was followed by the studio album Backwoods 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-genre Billboard 200 albums chart was the highest in her career.[43] Backwoods Barbie produced four additional singles, including the title track, written as part of her score for 9 to 5: The Musical, an adaptation of her feature film. After the death of Michael Jackson, whom Parton knew personally, she released a video in which she somberly told of her feelings on Jackson and his death.[44][45]

Parton at the Grand Ole Opry in 2005

On October 27, 2009, Parton released a four-CD box set, Dolly, which featured 99 songs and spanned most of her career.[46] She released her second live DVD and album, Live From London in October 2009, which was filmed during her sold-out 2008 concerts at London's The O2 Arena. On August 10, 2010, with longtime friend Billy Ray Cyrus, Parton released the album Brother 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 titled Better Day. In February 2011, she announced that she would embark on the Better Day World Tour on July 17, 2011, with shows in northern Europe and the U.S.[47] The album's lead-off single, "Together You and I", was released on May 23, 2011, and Better Day was released on June 28, 2011.[48] In 2011, Parton voiced the character Dolly Gnome in the animated film Gnomeo & Juliet. On February 11, 2012, after the sudden death of Whitney 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.'"[49]

In 2013, Parton joined Lulu Roman for a re-recording of "I Will Always Love You" for Roman's album, At Last.[50] In 2013, Parton and Kenny Rogers reunited for the title song of his album You Can't Make Old Friends. For their performance, they were nominated at the 2014 Grammy Awards for Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.[51] In 2014, Parton embarked on the Blue Smoke World Tour in support of her 42nd studio album, Blue Smoke.[52] The album was first released in Australia and New Zealand on January 31 to coincide with tour dates there in February, and reached the Top 10 in both countries. It was released in the United States on May 13, and debuted at number six on the Billboard 200 chart, making it her first Top 10 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 UK Glastonbury Festival, singing songs such as "Jolene", "9 to 5" and "Coat of Many Colors" to a crowd of more than 180,000.[53] 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.[54] 64 dates were planned in the United States and Canada, visiting the most requested markets missed on previous tours.[55]

Parton performing at the Thompson–Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee, 2014

In the fall of 2016 she released "Jolene" as a single with the a cappella group Pentatonix and performed on The Voice with Pentatonix and Miley Cyrus in November 2016.[56] Also in 2016, Parton was one of 30 artists to perform on "Forever Country", a mash-up of the songs, "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "On the Road Again" and her own "I Will Always Love You". The song celebrates fifty years of the CMA Awards.[57] At the ceremony itself, Parton was honored with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, 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 Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You". The track had been co-written by Kesha's mother Pebe Sebert. It was previously a hit for Parton and was included on her 1980 album Dolly, Dolly, Dolly. She also co-wrote and provided featuring vocals on the song "Rainbowland" on Younger Now, the sixth album by her goddaughter Miley Cyrus.

In July 2019, Parton made an unannounced appearance at the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island, and performed several songs accompanied by the Highwomen and Linda Perry.[58] In 2020, Parton received worldwide attention after posting four pictures, in which she showed how she would present herself on social media platforms LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The original post on Instagram[59] 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, and Live and Well.[60] 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 on Time 100 talks on May 28, 2020.[61]

In 2019, Parton collaborated with Christian alternative rock duet For King and Country and released a version of their hit "God Only Knows". She followed this by recording a duet with Christian music artist Zach Williams in the song "There Was Jesus". In October 2020, Parton was featured on the single "Pink" alongside Monica, Jordin Sparks, Sara Evans and Rita Wilson. The single was released in aid of Breast Cancer Research.[62][63][64] Parton released A Holly Dolly Christmas in October 2020.[65] On December 6, CBS aired a Christmas special, "A Holly Dolly Christmas", where Parton performed songs from her album.[66][67]

Since 2022: Rock album

[edit]
Parton performing "Peace Like a River" with Dionne Warwick.

In early 2022, Parton was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[68] Parton initially declined the nomination believing that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was "for the people in rock music",[69][70] but after learning that this was not the case Parton said she would accept her induction if she were chosen for the honor.[70] In May her induction was announced, and finally on November 5, 2022, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[71][72] In October 2022 Parton stated in an interview that she would no longer tour, but would continue to play live shows occasionally.[73] On December 31, 2022, Parton co-hosted NBC's New Year's special Miley's New Year's Eve Party.[74]

On January 17, 2023, Parton announced she would release her first rock album, titled Rockstar, later that year, during an interview on The View.[75] Lead single "World on Fire" was released on May 11, 2023.[76] It went on to peak at number 1 a week later.[77] The album was released on November 17, 2023, and features collaborations with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Sting, Elton John, Sheryl Crow, Miley Cyrus, and Lizzo, amongst others.[78] The album received generally positive reviews from critics and debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, becoming Parton's highest-charting solo studio album as well as topping the Country and Rock Albums charts.[79]

The soundtrack single "Gonna Be You" from the movie 80 for Brady was released January 20, 2023. The song was written by Diane Warren, and performed by Dolly Parton, Belinda Carlisle, Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry and Gloria 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.[80]

Public image

[edit]

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.

Dolly Parton, 2022[81]

Parton had turned down several offers to pose nude for Playboy magazine, but did appear on the cover of the October 1978 issue wearing a Playboy 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 of Dolly the sheep after her, since the sheep was cloned from a cell taken from an adult ewe's mammary gland.[82][83] In Mobile, Alabama, the General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge is commonly called "the Dolly Parton Bridge" due to its arches resembling her bust.[84] The thickened appearance of the turret frontal armor of the T-72A main battle tank led to the unofficial Army nickname "Dolly Parton"[85] - and later the T-72BIs got the "Super Dolly Parton" nickname.[86]

Parton is known for having undergone considerable plastic surgery.[87][88] On a 2003 episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, Winfrey asked what kind of cosmetic 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."[89] Her breasts have garnered her mentions in several songs, including "Dolly Parton's Hits" by Bobby Braddock, "Marty Feldman Eyes" by Bruce Baum (a parody of "Bette Davis Eyes"), "No Show Jones" by George Jones and Merle Haggard, and "Make Me Proud" by Drake, featuring Nicki Minaj.[90] 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."[91] 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."[92] Parton said in 2012 that she had entered a Dolly Parton drag queen lookalike contest and lost.[93]

Artistry

[edit]

Influences

[edit]

Parton, though influenced by big name stars, often credits much of her inspiration to her family and community. On her own mother Parton, in her 2020 book Songteller: My Life in Lyrics, wrote "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.[94] 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."[94] Fellow singers also had an impact on Parton, describing George Jones as her "all time favorite singer",[95] and recognizing her love for other artists such as Kitty Wells, Roy Acuff, and Rose Maddox.[96][97]

Musicianship

[edit]

Though unable to read sheet music, Parton can play many instruments, including: the dulcimer, autoharp, banjo, guitar, electric guitar, fiddle, piano, recorder, and the saxophone.[98] 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."[99] 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 film 9 to 5.[100]

Other ventures

[edit]

In 1998, Nashville Business ranked her the wealthiest country music star.[101] As of 2017, her net worth is estimated at $500 million.[102]

Songwriting

[edit]

Parton is a prolific songwriter, having begun by writing country music songs with strong elements of folk music, based on her upbringing in humble mountain surroundings and 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 a BMI Icon at the 2003 BMI Country Awards.[103] Parton has earned over 35 BMI Pop and Country Awards.[104] In 2001, she was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.[105] In a 2009 interview on CNN's Larry 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.[106]

Parton's songwriting has been featured prominently in several films. In addition to the title song for 9 to 5, she also recorded a second version of "I Will Always Love You" for The 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 Ronstadt on Prisoner In Disguise (1975), Kenny Rogers on Vote for Love (1996), and LeAnn Rimes on Unchained Melody: The Early Years (1997). Whitney Houston performed it on The Bodyguard soundtrack and her version became the 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 singer Katherine Jenkins.[107]

As a songwriter, Parton has twice been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song, for "9 to 5" and "Travelin' Thru" (2005) from the film Transamerica. "Travelin' Thru" won Best Original Song at the 2005 Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards. It was also nominated for both the 2005 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and the 2005 Broadcast Film Critics Association Award (also known as the Critics' Choice Awards) for Best Song. A cover of "Love Is Like A Butterfly" by Clare Torry was used as the theme music for the British TV show Butterflies.[108]

Stage musicals

[edit]

9 to 5: The Musical

[edit]

Parton wrote the score (and Patricia Resnick the book) for 9 to 5: The Musical, a musical-theater adaptation 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 the Marquis Theatre in New York on April 30, 2009, to mixed reviews.[109] The title track of her 2008 album Backwoods Barbie was written for the musical's character Doralee.[110] Although her score (as well as the musical debut of actress Allison Janney) was praised, the show struggled, closing on September 6, 2009, after 24 previews and 148 performances. Parton received nominations for Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music and Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics as well as a nomination for Tony Award for Best Original Score. Developing the musical was not a quick process. According to the public-radio program Studio 360 (October 29, 2005),[111] in October 2005 Parton was in the midst of composing songs for a Broadway musical theater adaptation of the film. In late June 2007, 9 to 5: The Musical was read for industry presentations. The readings starred Megan Hilty, Allison Janney, Stephanie J. Block, Bebe Neuwirth, and Marc Kudisch.[112] Ambassador Theatre Group announced a 2012 UK tour for Dolly Parton's 9 to 5: The Musical, commencing at Manchester Opera House, on October 12, 2012.[113]

Hello, I'm Dolly

[edit]

In June 2024, Parton announced an autobiographical musical about her life and career titled Hello, I'm Dolly (named after her debut album and also a play on Hello, Dolly!), with a goal of opening on Broadway in 2026. The musical, with a co-written book by Parton and Maria S. Schlatter which would feature 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.[114]

The Dollywood Company

[edit]
Photo of the entrance to Dollywood
Entrance to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge

Parton invested much of her earnings into business ventures in her native East Tennessee, notably Pigeon Forge. She is a co-owner of The Dollywood Company, which operates the theme park Dollywood (a former Silver Dollar City), a dinner theater, Dolly Parton's Stampede, the waterpark Dollywood'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.[115] 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 the land and building were sold to a developer.[116] Starting in June 2011, the Myrtle Beach location became Pirates Voyage Fun, Feast and Adventure; Parton appeared for the opening, and the South Carolina General Assembly declared June 3, 2011, as Dolly Parton Day.[117]

On January 19, 2012, Parton's 66th birthday, Gaylord Opryland and Dollywood announced plans to open a $50 million water and snow park, a family-friendly destination in Nashville that is open all year.[118] 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.[119] 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.[120]

Production work

[edit]

Parton was a co-owner of Sandollar Productions, with Sandy Gallin, her former manager. A film and television production company, it produced the documentary Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt (1989), which won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature; the television series Babes (1990–91) and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003); and the feature films Father of the Bride (1991), Father of the Bride: Part II (1995) Straight Talk (1992) (in which Parton starred), and Sabrina (1995), among other shows. In a 2009 interview, singer Connie 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 singer Gloria Estefan to produce the film, a collaboration now ended.[121] 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 and Magnolia Hill Productions.[122]

Acting career

[edit]

Acting breakthrough

[edit]

In addition to her performing appearances on The Porter Wagoner Show in the 1960s and into the 1970s, her two self-titled television variety shows in the 1970s and 1980s, and on American 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 a Cher special.[123] During the mid-1970s, Parton wanted to expand her audience base. Although her first attempt, the television variety show Dolly! (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 her vocal cords. (She later tried a second television variety show, also titled Dolly (1987–88); it too lasted only one season).

In her first feature film, Parton portrayed a secretary in a leading role with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in the comedy film 9 to 5 (1980). The movie highlights discrimination against women in the workplace and created awareness of the National Association of Working Women (9–5).[124] She received nominations for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Musical or Comedy and a Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress.[17][125] Parton wrote and recorded the film's title song. It received nominations for an Academy Award for Best Song and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.[125] Released as a single, the song won both the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and the Grammy Award for Best Country Song. It also reached no. 1 on the Hot 100 chart and it was no. 78 on the "AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs" list released by the American Film Institute in 2004. 9 to 5 became a major box office success, grossing over $3.9 million its opening weekend, and over $103 million worldwide. Parton was named Top Female Box Office Star by the Motion Picture Herald in both 1981 and 1982 due to the film's success.[126]

In late 1981, Parton began filming her second film, the musical film The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982).[17] The film earned her a second nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.[125] The film was greeted with positive critical reviews and became a commercial success, earning over $69 million worldwide. After a two-year hiatus from films, Parton was teamed with Sylvester Stallone for Rhinestone (1984). A comedy film about a country music star's efforts to mould an unknown into a music sensation, the film was a critical and financial failure, making just over $21 million on a $28 million budget.

Continued roles

[edit]

In 1989, Parton returned to film acting in Steel Magnolias (1989), based on the play Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling. The film was popular with critics and audiences, grossing over $95 million in the U.S. Parton starred in the television movies A Smoky Mountain Christmas (1986), Wild Texas Wind (1991), Unlikely Angel (1996), portraying an angel sent back to earth after a deadly car crash, and Blue Valley Songbird (1999), where her character lives through her music. She starred with James Woods in Straight Talk (1992), which received mixed reviews, and grossed a mild $21 million at the box office.[127]

Parton's 1987 variety show Dolly lasted only one season. She made a cameo appearance as herself in The Beverly Hillbillies (1993), an adaptation of the long-running TV sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies (1962–1971).[17] Parton has done voice work for animation for television series, playing herself in Alvin and the Chipmunks (episode "Urban Chipmunk", 1983) and the character Katrina Eloise "Murph" Murphy (Ms. Frizzle's first cousin) in The Magic School Bus (episode "The Family Holiday Special", 1994). She also has guest-starred in several sitcoms, including a 1990 episode of Designing Women (episode "The First Day of the Last Decade of the Entire Twentieth Century") as herself, the guardian movie star of Charlene's baby.[128] She made a guest appearance on Reba (episode "Reba's Rules of Real Estate") portraying a real-estate agency owner and on The Simpsons (episode "Sunday, Cruddy Sunday", 1999). She appeared as herself in 2000 on the Halloween episode of Bette Midler's short-lived sitcom Bette, and on episode 14 of Babes (produced by Sandollar Productions, Parton and Sandy Gallin's joint production company). She made cameo appearances on the Disney Channel as "Aunt Dolly", visiting Hannah and her family in fellow Tennessean and real-life goddaughter Miley Cyrus's series Hannah 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.[129]

Parton appeared as an overprotective mother in the comedy Frank McKlusky, C.I.. (2002) She made a cameo appearance in the comedy film Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, starring Sandra Bullock. She was featured in The Book Lady (2008), a documentary about her campaign for children's literacy. Parton expected to reprise her television role as Hannah's godmother in the musical comedy film Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009), but the character was omitted from the screenplay.[130]

Since 2010

[edit]

Parton had a voice role in the comedy family film Gnomeo & Juliet (2011), an animated film with garden gnomes about William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. She co-starred with Queen Latifah in the musical film Joyful Noise (2012),[131] playing a choir director's widow who joins forces with Latifah's character, a mother of two teens, to save a small Georgia town's gospel choir.[132] Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors, a made-for-TV film based on Parton's song "Coat of Many Colors", and featuring narration by Parton, aired on NBC in December 2015, with child actress Alyvia Alyn Lind portraying the young Parton. Parton also had a cameo in the sequel, which aired in November 2016.[133]

In June 2018, Parton announced an eight-part Netflix series, featuring her music career.[134][135] She is its executive producer and co-star.[136] The series, called Dolly Parton's Heartstrings, aired in November 2019.[137] Parton is the subject of the NPR podcast Dolly Parton's America. It is hosted by Jad Abumrad, who also hosts Radiolab.[138] In December 2019, the biographical documentary Here I Am was added to the catalog of the Netflix streaming service. The documentary, a co-production of Netflix and the BBC, takes its name from Parton's 1971 song.

In November 2020, Parton produced and starred in the Netflix musical film Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square, which won her a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie.[139] In November 2021, Parton was confirmed to be appearing in the final season of Grace and Frankie in a guest-starring role, reuniting with her 9 to 5 co-stars Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda.[140] In July 2022, Parton appeared as a simulation of herself on sci-fi show The Orville in the episode "Midnight Blue".[141] In December 2022, Parton appeared in an NBC special titled Dolly Parton's Mountain Magic Christmas. On Thanksgiving 2023, Parton performed songs during halftime at the Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys NFL football game.[142]

Personal life

[edit]

Family

[edit]

Parton is the fourth of 12 children. Her siblings are Willadeene, David Wilburn (deceased), Coy Denver, Robert Lee, Stella, Cassie Nan, Randel (deceased), Larry Gerald (deceased), twins Floyd Estel (deceased) and Frieda Estelle, and Rachel.[143][144]

On May 30, 1966, Parton and Carl Thomas Dean (born July 20, 1942, in Nashville, Tennessee) were married in Ringgold, Georgia.[145][146] 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.[147] Dean, who is retired from running an asphalt road-paving business in Nashville, has always shunned publicity, and rarely accompanies his wife to any events. Parton has jokingly said that he has only seen her perform once. She also has said in interviews that even though it appears they spend little time together, it is simply that nobody sees him publicly. She has commented on Dean's romantic side, saying that he does spontaneous things to surprise her, and sometimes even writes poems for her.[148] In 2011, Parton said, "We're really very proud of our marriage. It's the first for both of us. And the last."[149]

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.[150]

While Parton has never had children, she and Dean helped raise several of her younger siblings in Nashville, leading her nieces and nephews to refer to them as "Uncle Peepaw" and "Aunt Granny"; the latter a moniker that later lent its name to one of Parton's Dollywood restaurants. Parton is also the godmother of singer-songwriter and actress Miley Cyrus.[151]

Faith

[edit]

Parton says that she is a committed Christian, which has influenced many of her musical releases.[152]

She talked about her liberal approach to faith in the January 2024 issue of New 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." [153]

Philanthropy

[edit]

Since the mid-1980s, Parton has supported many charitable efforts, particularly in the area of literacy, primarily through her Dollywood Foundation. Her literacy program, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library,[154] which is a part of the Dollywood Foundation, was founded in honor of her father, who never learned to read or write.[155] It mails 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.[154] In February 2018, she donated her 100 millionth free book, a copy of Parton's children's picture book Coat of Many Colors, to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.[156] and was honored by the Library of Congress on account of the "charity sending out its 100 millionth book".[157]

For her work in literacy, Parton has received various awards, including Association of American Publishers Honors Award (2000), Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval (2001) (the first time the seal had been awarded to a person), American Association of School Administrators – Galaxy Award (2002), National State Teachers of the Year – Chasing Rainbows Award (2002), and Parents as Teachers National Center – Child and Family Advocacy Award (2003).

On May 8, 2009, Parton gave the commencement speech at the graduation ceremony for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville's College of Arts and Sciences.[158] During the ceremony, she received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the university. It was only the second honorary degree given by the university, and in presenting the degree, the university's Chancellor, 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."[159]

In 2006, Parton published a cookbook, Dolly's Dixie Fixin's: Love, Laughter and Lots of Good Food.[160][161]

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 the American Red Cross and HIV/AIDS-related charities.[162]

In December 2006, Parton pledged $500,000 toward a proposed $90 million 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.[163] That same year, Parton and Emmylou Harris allowed use of their music in a PETA ad campaign that encouraged pet owners to keep their dogs indoors rather than chained outside.[164]

With Tennessee Senator Bob Corker at the rededication ceremony for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in September 2009

In 2003, her efforts to preserve the bald eagle through the American Eagle Foundation's sanctuary at Dollywood earned her the Partnership Award from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.[165] Parton received the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars of the Smithsonian Institution at a ceremony in Nashville on November 8, 2007.[166]

In response to the 2016 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.[167] This was held in Nashville on December 9. In addition, Parton hosted her own telethon for the victims on December 13[168] and reportedly raised around $9 million.[169] 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.[170][171][172] 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.[171]

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.[173] 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.[174] 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."[175]

Parton has been a generous donor to Vanderbilt 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, Professor Naji Abumrad, and her niece, Hannah Dennison, who was successfully treated for leukemia as a child at the Children's Hospital.[176]

In the aftermath of 2024's Hurricane 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.[177]

LGBTQ+ rights

[edit]

Though often politically neutral, Parton is known for her long history of openly supporting LGBTQ rights.[178] LGBTQ+ magazines LGBTQ Nation and The Advocate have described her as an "LGBTQ+ icon," and it was noted that she first publicly showed support for LGBTQ families in her 1991 song "Family".[179][180] She also publicly came out in support of same-sex marriage in 2009.[181]

Moderna COVID-19 vaccine

[edit]

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Parton donated $1 million towards research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and encouraged those who can afford it to make similar donations.[182] 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."[183] Her donation funded the critical early stages of development of the Moderna vaccine.[184] In March 2021, Parton was vaccinated against COVID-19 at Vanderbilt University. She labeled social media accounts of the occasion "Dolly gets a dose of her own medicine."[185] Parton strongly encouraged everyone to get vaccinated when eligible and performed a song celebrating her vaccination, set to the tune of her song "Jolene".[186][187][188]

Awards and honors

[edit]
President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush, with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts honorees in the Blue Room of the White House during a 2006 reception. From left: singer-songwriter William "Smokey" Robinson; composer Andrew Lloyd Webber; Dolly Parton; film director Steven Spielberg; and conductor Zubin Mehta.

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 the Billboard country charts, a record for a female artist. She has 42 career Top 10 country albums, a record for any artist, and 110 career-charted singles over the past 40 years.[189] 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.[190][191] As of 2021, she had appeared on the country music charts in each of seven decades, the most of any artist.[192]

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.[193][194] [195]


At the American 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 the Academy of Country Music, she has won seven awards and 39 nominations. She is one of only six female artists (including Reba McEntire, Barbara Mandrell, Shania Twain, Loretta Lynn, and Taylor Swift), to win the Country Music Association's highest honor, Entertainer of the Year (1978). She also has been nominated for two Academy Awards and a Tony Award. She was nominated for an Emmy Award for her appearance in a 1978 Cher television special. She was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her music in 1984, located at 6712 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California; a star on the Nashville StarWalk for Grammy winners;[196] 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 of Ms. Magazine's Women of the Year. In 1986, she was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.[197][198]

In 1999, Parton received country music's highest honor, an induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.[199] She received an honorary doctorate degree from Carson-Newman College (Jefferson City, Tennessee) in 1990.[200] This was followed by induction into the National Academy of Popular Music/Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001.[201] In 2002, she ranked no. 4 in CMT's 40 Greatest Women of Country Music.

Parton's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Parton was honored in 2003 with a tribute album called Just Because I'm a Woman: Songs of Dolly Parton. The artists who recorded versions of Parton's songs included Melissa 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"), and Sinéad 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 the Living Legend Medal by the U.S. Library of Congress on April 14, 2004, for her contributions to the cultural heritage of the United States.[202] 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.[203]

In 2005, she was honored with the National Medal of Arts, the highest honor given by the U.S. government for excellence in the arts. The award is presented by the U.S. President. On December 3, 2006, Parton received the Kennedy Center Honors from the John 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 and Reese 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 in Orlando, Florida.[204]

In 2015, a newly discovered species of lichen found growing in the southern Appalachians was named Japewiella dollypartoniana in honor of Parton's music and her efforts to bring national and global attention to that region.[205] In 2018, Parton received a second star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, inducted alongside Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris in recognition of their work as a trio.[206] Parton was also recognized in the Guinness World Records 2018 Edition for holding records for the Most Decades with a Top 20 hit on Billboard's Hot Country Songs Chart and Most Hits on Billboard's Hot Country Songs Chart by a Female Artist.[207] In 2020, Parton received a Grammy award for her collaboration with For King & Country on their song, "God Only Knows".[208] In 2021, she was included on the Time 100, Time's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.[209] The New York Times called her among the three of America's Most Beloved Divas (alongside Patti LaBelle and Barbra Streisand).[210]

Parton has turned down the Presidential Medal of Freedom twice due to her husband's illness and the ongoing pandemic.[211] 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."[212]

In late 2022, Parton received a $100-million Courage and Civility Award from the founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos.[213][214][215] According to Bezos, the award was given to Parton because of her charity work focused on improving children's literacy around the world.[216]

In 2023, Parton was awarded American Library Association Honorary Membership.[217]

She was ranked at No. 27 on Rolling Stone′s 2023 list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.[218]

Asteroid (10731) Dollyparton, the former 1998 BL3, was named in her honor in 2022.[219]

Hall of Fame honors

[edit]

During her career, Parton has gained induction into numerous Halls of Fame. Those honors include:

Discography

[edit]

Solo studio albums

Collaborative studio albums

Filmography

[edit]

Theatrical releases

Published works

[edit]
  • Parton, Dolly (1979). Just the Way I Am: Poetic Selections on "Reasons to Live, Reasons to Love and Reasons to Smile" from the Songs of Dolly Parton. Blue Mountain Press. ISBN 978-0883960431.
  • Parton, Dolly (October 1, 1994). Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business. HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0060177201.
  • Parton, Dolly; Sutton, Judith (October 1, 1994). Coat of Many Colors. HarperCollins. ISBN 9780060234133.
  • Parton, Dolly (2006). Dolly's Dixie Fixin's: Love, Laughter and Lots of Good Food. Viking Studio. ISBN 9780670038145.
  • Parton, Dolly (2009). I Am a Rainbow. G.P. Putnam's Sons. ISBN 9780141330105.
  • Parton, Dolly (2012). Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You. Putnam Pub Group. ISBN 9780399162480.
  • Parton, Dolly; Boynton-Hughes, Brooke (2016). Coat of Many Colors. Grosset & Dunlap/Penguin Random House. ISBN 9780451532374.
  • Parton, Dolly; Oermann, Robert K. (2020). Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-1797205090.
  • Parton, Dolly; Patterson, James (2022). Run, Rose, Run. Little, Brown & Company. ISBN 978-0-7595-5434-4.
  • Parton, Dolly (2023). Dolly Parton's Billy The Kid Makes It Big. Penguin Workshop. ISBN 9780593661574.
  • Parton, Dolly; Seaver, Rebecca; George-Warren, Holly (2023). Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones. Ten Speed Press. ISBN 9781984862129.
  • Parton, Dolly; Parton-George, Rachel (2024). Good Lookin' Cookin': A Year of Meals - A Lifetime of Family, Friends, and Food. Ten Speed Press. ISBN 9781984863164.
  • Parton, Dolly (2024). Dolly Parton's Billy The Kid Comes Home for Christmas. Penguin Workshop. ISBN 9780593755006.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Dolly Parton to release new album, Blue Smoke, in the US on May 13, 2014" Archived April 21, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, websterpr.com; accessed May 10, 2014.
  2. ^ Blistein, Jon (November 20, 2023). "Dolly Parton Updates Her Classic 'Jolene' for Her Rock & Roll Era". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  3. ^ 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). Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  4. ^ Schmidt, Randy L., ed. (2017). Dolly on Dolly: interviews and encounters with Dolly Parton. Chicago Review Press. ISBN 978-1-61373-519-0. But if you want to know the names of some hollers and some ridges and some knobs where I lived, I was born at Pittman Center on Pittman Center Road.
  5. ^ "Dolly Parton Biography". The Biography Channel. Archived from the original on August 15, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2012.
  6. ^ a b c Parton 1994.
  7. ^ "Daddy's Dinner Bucket: Mr. Lee Parton". Dolly Parton. June 15, 2015. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
  8. ^ "Dolly Parton: 'I fight illiteracy for my father'". Belfast Telegraph. November 3, 2016. Archived from the original on July 3, 2018. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  9. ^ Hyland, Claire (February 19, 2021). "Nine startling facts about the Queen of Country music Dolly Parton". EVOKE.
  10. ^ "Good golly Miss Dolly... 10 amazing facts about Ms Parton". Wales Online. June 23, 2014. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  11. ^ "Where is Dolly Parton's childhood home? Is it still there?". August 15, 2021.
  12. ^ "Dolly Parton talks new album, tour". CNN. July 9, 2002. Archived from the original on May 12, 2006. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  13. ^ Brooks, Laken. "Dolly Parton's Childhood Doctor Received A Sack Of Cornmeal And A Song". Forbes. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  14. ^ Dr. Robert F. Thomas, August 19, 2016, retrieved August 31, 2023
  15. ^ Jensen, Todd Aaron (August 18, 2010). On Gratitude: Sheryl Crow, Jeff Bridges, Alicia Keys, Daryl Hall, Ray Bradbury, Anna Kendrick, B.B. King, Elmore Leonard, Deepak Chopra, and 42 More Celebrities Share What They're Most Thankful For. Adams Media. p. 163. ISBN 978-1-4405-0893-6. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  16. ^ "Celebrating Seniors – Dolly Parton Turns 70". January 19, 2016. Archived from the original on March 2, 2016. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
  17. ^ a b c d "Dolly Parton – Biography". Songwriters Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  18. ^ Lauren Tingle. "Dolly Parton's Soul-Baring Pure & Simple show".[dead link]
  19. ^ "Dolly performs on Cas Walker Show – WIVK Radio". Dolly Parton Productions. July 8, 1956. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
  20. ^ Magill, Frank Northen; Aves, Alison (1999). Dictionary of World Biography. Routledge. p. 2896. ISBN 978-1-57958-048-3. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  21. ^ a b "Backwoods glam". The Washington Times. November 30, 2006. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  22. ^ "Dolly's first Grand Ole Opry performance 1959". Dolly Parton. July 25, 1959. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  23. ^ "Special Presentation: Dolly Parton Timeline". Library of Congress. April 8, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  24. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2006). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. pp. 101, 267.
  25. ^ Whitburn 2005, pp. 108, 422.
  26. ^ "Hello I'm Dolly – Dolly's first solo album 1967". Dolly Parton. February 13, 1967. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  27. ^ a b c d e f g Dolly Parton profile, Allmusic.com; accessed March 31, 2014.
  28. ^ "Dolly Parton-Biography". Billboard. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
  29. ^ "Dolly and Uncle Bill Owens start Owe-Par Publishing Company". Dolly Parton. November 18, 1966. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
  30. ^ "Dolly Parton Entertainment". Archived from the original on June 22, 2015. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  31. ^ "Dolly Parton official music website". Dolly Parton Entertainment. Archived from the original on June 22, 2015. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  32. ^ "Dolly Parton Reflects on Her Greatest Moments". Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. Retrieved March 22, 2014., cmt.com; July 7, 2006.
  33. ^ On The Charts – The Singles, dollymania.net; accessed September 20, 2014.
  34. ^ "New Harvest ... First Gathering – 18th Solo Album". Dolly Parton. February 2, 1977. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
  35. ^ "Dolly Parton's Official Song List". Dolly Parton. November 6, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
  36. ^ "Just Between Me And You compilation w/Porter Wagoner". Dolly Parton. May 13, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
  37. ^ Downing, Marcus K. (November 27, 2023). "Dolly Parton's 'Rockstar' tops 6 different Billboard album charts". The Tennessean. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  38. ^ "American album certifications – Dolly Parton – Slow Dancing with the Moon". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  39. ^ a b c d "Dolly Parton Biography". Country Music Television; retrieved February 12, 2012.
  40. ^ "Red Hot + Country – Various Artists – Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. September 13, 1994. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  41. ^ Barry Weber. "Heartsongs: Live from Home – Dolly Parton – Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  42. ^ Wunderink, Susan (August 4, 2008). "Dolly Parton – Backwoods Barbie (Dolly Records)". Christianity Today. Archived from the original on August 4, 2008. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
  43. ^ "Janet Dethrones Jack To Top Billboard 200", billboard.com; retrieved February 12, 2012.
  44. ^ Bierly, Mandi (June 30, 2009). "Dolly Parton Remembers Michael Jackson". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 12, 2011. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  45. ^ "Dolly's Video Diary: Rest in Peace Michael". YouTube. June 30, 2009. Archived from the original on October 6, 2010. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  46. ^ "RCA/Legacy Celebrates Dolly Parton's Spectacular Career With 4CD 'Dolly' Box Set". Legacy Records. August 18, 2009. Archived from the original on February 11, 2009. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  47. ^ Lee, Joyce (March 25, 2011). "Dolly Parton Plans World Tour, New Album". CBS News. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  48. ^ Johnson, James (June 28, 2011). "Dolly Parton Releases 'Better Day' Her Latest Studio Album". inquisitr.com. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  49. ^ "Dolly Parton on the Death of Whitney Houston" (Press release). Dolly Parton Music. February 12, 2012. Archived from the original on February 14, 2012. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  50. ^ "I Will Always Love You duet w/Lulu Roman". Dolly Parton. January 15, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
  51. ^ Dauphian, Chuck (September 3, 2013). "Kenny Rogers Announces 'You Can't Make Old Friends' Album, Duet With Dolly Parton". Billboard. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
  52. ^ Twitter; accessed March 31, 2014.
  53. ^ "Glastonbury performance draws of 180,000". Dolly Parton. June 29, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
  54. ^ Getz, Dana (March 7, 2016). "Dolly Parton announces biggest tour in 25 years". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
  55. ^ "Dolly Parton on Donald Trump, New Tour and 'Simple' Music". Rolling Stone. March 10, 2016. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
  56. ^ Roshanian, Arya (November 30, 2016). "'The Voice': Dolly Parton Joins Miley Cyrus, Pentatonix In 'Jolene' Cover". Variety. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  57. ^ "30 Country Music Stars Join Forces for Historic CMA Music Video". ABC News. September 22, 2016.
  58. ^ Exposito, Suzy (July 28, 2019). "See Dolly Parton Join the Highwomen, Linda Perry at Newport Folk Festival". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
  59. ^ "Dolly Parton Challenge – original post on Instagram" archived link, Dolly Parton
  60. ^ "Dolly Parton Unleashes 93 Songs to Streaming". Billboard. April 10, 2020. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  61. ^ "Hear Dolly Parton's New Song 'When Life Is Good Again'". Time. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  62. ^ "Pink (various artists)". Spotify. October 21, 2020. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  63. ^ Kaufman, Gil (October 22, 2020). "Dolly Parton, Rita Wilson, Monica, Jordin Sparks & Sara Evans Go 'Pink' For Breast Cancer Awareness With New Song". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  64. ^ Nicholson, Jessica (October 21, 2020). "Dolly Parton, Sara Evans, And More Collaborate On New Single "PINK" To Aid Breast Cancer Research". Music Row. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  65. ^ Shelton, Caitlyn (August 13, 2020). "Holly Dolly Christmas: Dolly Parton to release first Christmas album in 30 years". WJLA. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  66. ^ "Dolly Parton To Spread Holiday Cheer With A Holly Dolly Christmas, Dec. 6 On CBS". cbs.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  67. ^ Mamo, Heran (December 5, 2020). "How to Watch Dolly Parton's CBS Christmas Special 'A Holly Dolly Christmas'". Billboard. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  68. ^ Freeman, Jon (February 2, 2022). "Why Dolly Parton Damn Sure Belongs in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Y'all". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  69. ^ Colarossi, Natalie (March 14, 2022). "Why Dolly Parton rejected Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nomination". Newsweek. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  70. ^ a b Martin, Rachel; Advani, Reena; Guevara, Milton; Treisman, Rachel (April 29, 2022). "'Dreams do still come true' in a new novel by Dolly Parton and James Patterson". NPR. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  71. ^ Arnold, Chuck (May 4, 2022). "Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducts Dolly Parton against her wishes". New York Post. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  72. ^ a b Lydia Farthing (November 9, 2022). "Dolly Parton Inducted Into Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame". musicrow. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  73. ^ Nicholson, Jessica (October 27, 2022). "Dolly Parton Says She Will No Longer Tour". Billboard. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  74. ^ Campione, Katie (November 21, 2022). "Miley Cyrus And Dolly Parton To Co-Host 'Miley's New Year's Eve Party' On NBC". Deadline. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  75. ^ "Dolly Parton's New Rock Album will Feature Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, & Many More". SiriusXM. January 18, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  76. ^ Young, Alex (May 9, 2023). "The Tracklist for Dolly Parton's Rock Album is a Sight to Behold". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
  77. ^ "Dolly Parton". Billboard. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  78. ^ Strauss, Matthew (May 9, 2023). "Dolly Parton Announces New Rock Album Featuring Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Lizzo, Miley Cyrus, and More". Pitchfork. Condé Nest. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
  79. ^ Caulfield, Keith (November 26, 2023). "rake's 'For All the Dogs' Back at No. 1 on Billboard 200 After 'Scary Hours' Deluxe Release". Billboard. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  80. ^ Kreps, Daniel (January 20, 2023). "Dolly Parton, Gloria Estefan, Cyndi Lauper, Belinda Carlisle, Debbie Harry Release New Song 'Gonna Be You'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 20, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  81. ^ Garner, Glenn (April 18, 2022). "Dolly Parton Recalls Advice 'Not to Look So Cheap,' Modeling Her Look 'After the Town Tramp'". People. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  82. ^ "1997: Dolly the Sheep Is Cloned". BBC News ("On This Day – 1950–2005" database). n.d. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  83. ^ Weise, Elizabeth (July 4, 2006). "Dolly Was World's Hello to Cloning's Possibilities". USA Today. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  84. ^ Cassie Fambro (April 10, 2015). "Truck slides on Dolly Parton bridge, ATVs hit the water". Press-Register. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
  85. ^ Soviet/Russian Armor and Artillery Design Practices 1945-1995. Marine Corps Intelligence Activity. 1995. p. 93.
  86. ^ "This Is the Story of the Old Russian Tank That Can Still Fight the World's Best Armor". The National Interest. October 3, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  87. ^ Salamone, Gina (October 7, 2007). "Boom in Breast Implants as Attitudes Change". Daily News.
  88. ^ "Nipped, Tucked & Talking – Celebs You Always Thought Had 'A Little Work Done' Are Opening Up About the Pain, the Pleasure and the Prevalence of Hollywood's Favorite Procedures". People. September 1, 2003. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  89. ^ The Proust Questionnaire (November 2012). "The Proust Questionnaire: Dolly Parton". Vanity Fair. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  90. ^ "Make Me Proud (feat. Nicki Minaj) – Single by Drake". Apple Music. January 2011. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  91. ^ Raphael, Rina (May 13, 2014). "5 style lessons we can learn from Dolly Parton". Today.com. Archived from the original on May 13, 2014.
  92. ^ Fox, Pamela (1998). "Recycled "Trash": Gender and Authenticity in Country Music Autobiography". American Quarterly. 50 (2): 234–266. doi:10.1353/aq.1998.0016. ISSN 1080-6490. S2CID 144294996.
  93. ^ Chang, Juju (2012). "Dolly Parton on Gay Rumors, Losing a Drag Queen Look-Alike Contest and New Memoir". ABC.
  94. ^ a b Goeres, Kelsey (April 6, 2021). "Dolly Parton's Biggest Influences Weren't Big 'Stars'". Showbiz Cheat Sheet. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  95. ^ "Dolly Parton, Merle Haggard, Other Hall of Famers Mourn George Jones". Billboard. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  96. ^ Goeres, Kelsey (March 22, 2021). "The Artist Dolly Parton Loved to Listen to Growing up Because She Sang About 'Defending the Women'". Showbiz Cheat Sheet. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  97. ^ "Interview: Dolly Parton Talks to Tim McGraw About All Sorts!". Lyric Magazine. July 22, 2021. Archived from the original on August 2, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  98. ^ Claeson, Hanna (November 2, 2020). "This Is How Many Instruments Dolly Parton Can Play". TheList.com.
  99. ^ Alex Frank (August 10, 2016). "15 Minutes With Dolly Parton: The Queen of Country on Wigs, Relationships, and Presidential Politics". Vogue. Archived from the original on March 19, 2017. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  100. ^ Nicola Dall'Asen (October 13, 2020). "Dolly Parton Explains How She Uses Her Acrylic Nails to Make Music". Allure. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  101. ^ "Dollymania FAQ – No. 24". Dollymania.net. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  102. ^ Woods, Laura (January 7, 2017). "Dolly Parton's staggering net worth revealed". AOL. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
  103. ^ "Dolly Parton to be Honored as BMI ICON at Country Awards". bmi.com. November 2, 2003. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
  104. ^ "Songwriters Dolly Parton, Conway Twitty and Johnny Bond inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame". bmi.com. August 31, 1999. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
  105. ^ Press release (April 16, 2001). "June 14, 2001 @ Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers, Imperial Ballroom". Songwriters Hall of Fame; retrieved February 12, 2012.
  106. ^ Transcript (March 7, 2009). "Dolly Parton Speaks Out; Variety Entertainer Danny Gans Does Impressions and Talks about Comedy". Larry King Live. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  107. ^ Peel, Adrian (May 16, 2019). "Review: An Evening with Katherine Jenkins comes to Cambridge". Cambridge Independent. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
  108. ^ "Love Is Like A Butterfly – TV Theme Song – Dolly Parton". dollyparton.com. May 11, 1978. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  109. ^ 9 to 5 The Musical, 9to5themusical.com; accessed March 31, 2014.
  110. ^ Jones, Kenneth (July 15, 2008). "Hello, Dolly! 9 to 5 Books Broadway's Marquis; Full Casting Announced". Playbill. Archived from the original on May 6, 2009. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  111. ^ "Studio 360 Archive". Archived from the original on December 12, 2010. Retrieved November 13, 2008.. studio360.org
  112. ^ Jones, Kenneth (June 20, 2007). "A Cup of Ambition: 9 to 5 Musical Takes Next Step in NYC Reading with Neuwirth, Janney, Block". Playbill.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2008. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  113. ^ Dolly Parton's 9 to 5 The Musical Tour page Archived September 28, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, atgtickets.com; accessed March 31, 2014.
  114. ^ Paulson, Michael (June 6, 2024). "Dolly Parton Says a Musical About Her Life Is Broadway Bound". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  115. ^ "Dollymania FAQ No 23"; retrieved May 1, 2009
  116. ^ Blake, Scott (January 8, 2008). "Orlando's Dixie Stampede shuts down". Florida Today. Archived from the original on January 19, 2008. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  117. ^ Grooms, Vicki (December 31, 2010). "Pirates Voyage docks in Myrtle Beach". The Sun News. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
  118. ^ "Dolly Parton & Gaylord Opryland to Bring Amusement Park to Music City". Nashville on the Move. January 20, 2012. Archived from the original on February 2, 2012.
  119. ^ "Dolly Parton drops out of Nashville theme park". CNN. September 30, 2012.
  120. ^ "Dolly Parton Adds Additional Dinner Theater in Pigeon Forge". Business Wire. June 12, 2015.
  121. ^ Ybarra, David (December 2009). "Dolly Parton Interview". Daeida: 26. Archived from the original on January 4, 2016. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  122. ^ "New Movie 'Coat of Many Colors'!". Archived from the original on May 30, 2015. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
  123. ^ "Dolly Parton". AllGoodSeats.com. All Good Seats. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  124. ^ Dargis, Manohla; Scott, A. O. (June 16, 2020). "Punching the Clock (and the Boss) With Dolly, Lily and Jane". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 17, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  125. ^ a b c "Award Search – Dolly Parton". Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Archived from the original on March 12, 2012. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  126. ^ "Dolly Parton bio". Thebiographychannel.co.uk. Archived from the original on May 31, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2012.
  127. ^ Straight Talk, boxofficemojo.com; accessed March 31, 2014.
  128. ^ Designing Women, Season 4 Episode Guide Archived June 25, 2009, at the Wayback Machine; airdate: January 1, 1990.
  129. ^ "Dolly Parton radio interview with". US*99.5's Morning Show hosts Lisa Dent & Ramblin' Ray. November 2, 2007. Archived from the original on October 18, 2007.
  130. ^ Parker, Lyndsey (February 19, 2008). "February 16–23: He Said, She Said". That's Really Week! (blog of Yahoo! Music). Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  131. ^ McNary, Dave (August 20, 2010). "Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton Make Noise – Thesps To Star in Alcon Gospel-Choir Feature". Variety. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  132. ^ "Dolly Back after 18 Year Break". Sky Movies. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  133. ^ Dunkerley, Beville (August 24, 2016). "Dolly Parton to Play Prostitute in New Christmas Movie". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  134. ^ "Dolly Parton Announces Eight-Part Netflix Series Based On Her Music". NPR. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  135. ^ "Netflix is making a Dolly Parton series". HelloGiggles. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  136. ^ Chuba, Kirsten (June 4, 2018). "Netflix Orders Dolly Parton Anthology Series Based on Her Music". Variety. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  137. ^ "Dolly Parton's Heartstrings review – country legend sells us a bum steer". Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  138. ^ "Dolly Parton's America". NPR.
  139. ^ "Dolly Parton". emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  140. ^ Gonzalez, Sandra (November 5, 2021). "'Grace and Frankie' staging '9 to 5' reunion with Dolly Parton guest role". CNN. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  141. ^ Weston, Christopher (July 21, 2022). "The Orville fans praise country icon Dolly Parton's 'beyond perfect' cameo". HITC. Archived from the original on July 22, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  142. ^ Chavkin, Daniel (November 23, 2023). "NFL Fans Adored Dolly Parton's Performance at Halftime of Cowboys-Commanders". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  143. ^ "Shine On with Reese | Netflix". www.netflix.com. Archived from the original on November 10, 2019. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  144. ^ Black, Lauren Jo (November 15, 2024). "Dolly Parton's Brother, David Wilburn Parton, Passes Away". Country Now. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
  145. ^ "Dolly Rebecca Parton". Smokykin.com. May 2, 2011. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  146. ^ Parton 1994, p. 142.
  147. ^ Lamont, Tom (December 6, 2014). "Dolly Parton: 'There's more to me than the big hair and the phoney stuff'". The Guardian. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
  148. ^ Parton 1994, p. 214.
  149. ^ Sterdan, Darryl (July 4, 2011). "Dolly Parton a Quote Machine". QMI Agency (via the Toronto Sun). Archived from the original on January 24, 2012. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  150. ^ Fisher, Luchina (May 6, 2016). "Dolly Parton Tying the Knot Again for 50th Anniversary". ABC News. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  151. ^ Orloff, Brian (March 17, 2008). "Dolly Parton Calls Miley Cyrus a 'Little Elvis'". People. Archived from the original on January 6, 2012. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  152. ^ Hanna, Philippa. "The Christian faith of Dolly Parton". Premier Christianity. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  153. ^ Green, Graeme (January 18, 2024). "The Queen of Country on her personal philosophy". New Humanist. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  154. ^ a b Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, imaginationlibrary.com; accessed February 21, 2019.
  155. ^ "Dolly Parton Book Donation backstory | Shutterbulky.com". February 5, 2022.
  156. ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (February 28, 2018). "Dolly Parton gives 100 millionth free book to children". The Guardian.
  157. ^ Andrews-Dyer, Helena (February 27, 2018). "Dolly Parton likes to give away books. She just donated her 100 millionth". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  158. ^ "Dolly Parton Presents Commencement Speech". University of Tennessee at Knoxville. 2009. Archived from the original on September 30, 2009.
  159. ^ "UT Knoxville Awards Dolly Parton Honorary Doctorate". University of Tennessee. May 8, 2009. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  160. ^ Parton, Dolly (2006). Dolly's Dixie Fixin's: Love, Laughter, and Lots of Good Food from My Tennessee Mountain Kitchen. Viking Studio. ISBN 978-0-670-03814-5. Retrieved December 13, 2012.
  161. ^ Dolly's Dixie Fixin's, official website; accessed April 21, 2014.
  162. ^ "Dolly Parton: Charity Work & Causes". Look to the Stars. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  163. ^ "Parton Pledges $500,000 to Hospital". Associated Press. December 13, 2006. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  164. ^ "Emmylou Harris and Dillinger Escape Plan bassist Liam Wilson support PETA Archived February 11, 2006, at the Wayback Machine", AdPunch, January 24, 2006.
  165. ^ "Dolly Parton, American Eagle Foundation and Bald Eagle "Challenger" Help Open New Bald Eagle Refuge Exhibit at Smithsonian's National Zoo". American Eagle Foundation. July 2, 2003. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2014. Ms. Parton was given the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service "Partnership Award" in recognition of her outstanding support for Bald Eagle conservation and the National Wildlife Refuge System.
  166. ^ "Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Expands to United Kingdom". Reuters. December 4, 2007. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  167. ^ "Nashville TV station airing live star-filled telethon for Gatlinburg victims". The Tennessean. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  168. ^ "Dolly Parton Is Hosting a Telethon to Help Tennessee Wildfire Victims". Country Living. December 5, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  169. ^ "Dolly Parton telethon raises $9M for wildfire victims". NBC News. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  170. ^ Knoepp, Lilly (December 24, 2019). "'How Dolly Parton Gave $12.5 Million And Unprecedented Research To Sevier County'". Blue Ridge Public Radio. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  171. ^ a b Cole, Devan (May 6, 2019). "'FBI honors Dolly Parton for work following Great Smoky Mountain wildfires'". CNN. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  172. ^ Flanagan, Andrew (May 8, 2017). "Dolly Parton Provides Fire Victims 'Shoulder To Lean On'". NPR. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  173. ^ Trieu, Cat (February 21, 2019). "'Social worker, faculty member looks to alleviate poverty through studies, community work'". The UT Beacon. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  174. ^ WBIR (November 27, 2017). "UT professor studying financial, emotional impact of 'My People Fund'". WBIR. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  175. ^ Nelson, Kristi L (April 19, 2018). "'Gatlinburg wildfire survivors found cash most helpful for recovery, says UT report'". Knox News. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  176. ^ "Dolly Parton Makes Generous Gift to Advance COVID-19 Research at Vanderbilt – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information for Employees and Patients". www.vumc.org.
  177. ^ Heching, Dan (October 4, 2024). "Dolly Parton pitches in toward Hurricane Helene relief efforts". CNN. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  178. ^ Avila, Daniela (November 3, 2023). "Dolly Parton Says She Loves and Does 'Not Judge' the LGBTQ+ Community: 'How We Are Is Who We Are'". People. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  179. ^ Broverman, Neal (December 7, 2018). "8 Times Dolly Parton Cemented Her Status as an LGBTQ+ Icon". The Advocate. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  180. ^ Villarel, Daniel (January 17, 2023). "Dolly Parton's turning 77. Her philanthropy & LGBTQ+ activism have made her a national treasure". LGBTQ Nation. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  181. ^ Bolcer, Julie (November 16, 2009). "Dolly Parton Im For Gay Marriage". The Advocate. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  182. ^ Lee, Murry (April 1, 2020). "Dolly Parton announces $1 million donation to Vanderbilt for COVID-19 research". WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. Archived from the original on April 4, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  183. ^ "Dolly Parton 'honoured and proud' to help Covid-19 battle". BBC News. November 18, 2020.
  184. ^ Ives, Mike (March 2, 2021). "Dolly Parton, who helped fund the Moderna vaccine, gets a 'dose of her own medicine.'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 28, 2021.
  185. ^ Madani, Doha (March 2, 2021). "Dolly Parton gets Covid-19 vaccination, jokes she got a 'dose of her own medicine'". NBC News. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  186. ^ Covid-19: Dolly Parton marks vaccination with Jolene rewrite BBC
  187. ^ Porterfield, Carlie. "Dolly Parton Gets The Moderna Coronavirus Vaccine Her $1 Million Donation Helped Fund". Forbes.
  188. ^ 'We're jabbing': Covid vaccine song remakes, from Bob Marley to Madness The Guardian
  189. ^ "Dolly Parton". Billboard. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  190. ^ Jacobs, Julia (February 18, 2021). "Dolly Parton Statue Has Tennessee's Support, but Not Parton's". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  191. ^ "Dolly Parton talks dreams, love, plastic surgery". Yahoo. November 29, 2012. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  192. ^ "Dolly Parton breaks 3 Guinness World Records! See the list". Today. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  193. ^ Lambert, Miranda (February 12, 2011). "Lifetime Achievement Award: Dolly Parton". Grammy.Com (The Recording Academy). Retrieved December 6, 2012.
  194. ^ "Dolly Parton – Chart History – Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  195. ^ "Here are 20 records that were broken at the 67th Grammy Nominations". Retrieved November 17, 2024. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help)
  196. ^ "Dolly Parton leaves prints at Star Walk". The San Bernardino County Sun. San Bernardino, California. February 17, 1988. p. A2. Archived from the original on January 22, 2019. Retrieved January 21, 2019 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  197. ^ "Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame". Nashvillesongwritersfoundation.com.s164288.gridserver.com. January 19, 1946. Archived from the original on October 22, 2017. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  198. ^ "The Telegraph – Google News Archive Search". November 14, 2018. Archived from the original on November 14, 2018. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  199. ^ "Dolly Parton". The Gettysburg Times. June 21, 1999. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  200. ^ "Dolly with a doctorate degree? Baptist college bestows award". The Spokesman-Review. July 30, 1990. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  201. ^ "Nelson, Parton, Warwick and Joel honored by songwriting Hall of Fame". The Bryan Times. Associated Press. June 16, 2001. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  202. ^ Fischer, Audrey (May–June 2004). "Dolly Parton, Living Legend – Library of Congress Honors Famed Singer-Songwriter". Library of Congress. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  203. ^ "About this Collection | Dolly Parton and the Roots of Country Music | Digital Collections | Library of Congress". Library of Congress. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  204. ^ "Dollywood wins Applause award for theme parks". News.yahoo.com. November 16, 2010. Archived from the original on January 18, 2016. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  205. ^ Allen, Jessica L.; Lendemer, James C. (2015). "Japewiella dollypartoniana, a New Widespread Lichen in the Appalachian Mountains of Eastern North America". Castanea. 80 (1): 59–65. doi:10.2179/14-036R2. ISSN 0008-7475. S2CID 85576896.
  206. ^ "Powerful Country Women Getting Stars on Hollywood Walk of Fame". Taste of Country. June 27, 2018.
  207. ^ "Dumb Blonde Archives". January 18, 2018.
  208. ^ Morris, Andrea (January 27, 2020). "Dolly Parton and For King & Country Take Home Grammy for 'God Only Knows'". CBN News. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  209. ^ O'Connor, Roisin (September 16, 2021). "Miley Cyrus calls Dolly Parton a 'saintly, even godlike figure' for Time 100 list". The Independent. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  210. ^ Yanagihara, Hanya (November 30, 2020). "Celebrating Three of America's Most Beloved Divas". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  211. ^ Samantha Kubota (February 1, 2021). "Dolly Parton turned down the Presidential Medal of Freedom twice". TODAY.com.
  212. ^ Payne, Ed (February 18, 2021). "Parton says no (for now) to statue at Tennessee Capitol". WECT6 News. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  213. ^ "Dolly Parton receives $100 million Bezos Courage and Civility award". NBC News. November 13, 2022. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  214. ^ "Dolly Parton Receives $100M Courage & Civility Award From Jeff Bezos – Watch". Deadline. November 14, 2022. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  215. ^ "Bezos awards Dolly Parton with $100 million Courage and Civility prize". The Hill. November 14, 2022. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  216. ^ "Country star Dolly Parton gets $100m award from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos". BBC News. November 14, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  217. ^ Dolly Parton Awarded Honorary Membership in the American Library Association. American Library Association, 2023.
  218. ^ "The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time". Rolling Stone. January 1, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  219. ^ WGSBN Bulletin. 2 (16): 5. December 12, 2022. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  220. ^ "Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame". Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on October 22, 2017. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  221. ^ "Small Town of America Hall of Fame". dollyparton.com. June 26, 1988. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  222. ^ "East Tennessee Hall of Fame". dollyparton.com. October 12, 1988. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  223. ^ "Dolly Parton – Inductee". Country Music Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on July 1, 2014. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  224. ^ "Dolly Parton". National Songwriters Hall of Fame. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
  225. ^ "JA East Business TN Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on February 26, 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  226. ^ Gordon, Duane. "Year In Review – 2006". Dollymania.net. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  227. ^ "Grammy Hall of Fame Inductees". Grammy.org. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  228. ^ "Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame 2008 Inductees". Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame. Wilkes Heritage Museum/Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  229. ^ "GMA Hall of Fame – Dolly Parton". gmahalloffame.org. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  230. ^ "Music City Walk of Fame". visitmusiccity.com. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  231. ^ "Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame Inductees". Country Gospel Music Association. Archived from the original on December 26, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  232. ^ "Grammy Hall of Fame Inductees". Grammy.org. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  233. ^ "National Hall of Fame for Mountain Artisans". dollyparton.com. April 5, 2014. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  234. ^ "The Happiness Hall of Fame". happinesshalloffame.com. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  235. ^ "Life Lessons from Dolly Parton on Beauty, Marriage and Happiness". O, The Oprah Magazine. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  236. ^ "Grammy Hall of Fame Inductees". Grammy.org. October 18, 2010. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  237. ^ Nicholson, Jessica (May 24, 2024). "Dolly Parton Slates Family Album 'Smoky Mountain DNA – Family, Faith & Fables' for November". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2024.

Bibliography

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]