Dolly Parton Biography

Dolly Parton, Singer

Date of Birth: January 19, 1946

Birthplace: Sevierville, Tennessee

Sign: Capricorn

Dolly Parton was born on January 19, 1946 in Sevierville, Tennessee to Robert Lee Parton and Avie Lee Owens. Parton along with her eleven siblings lived with their parents in a one-room cabin in rural Tennessee. At the age of 20, Parton married Carl Dean. The couple raised several of Parton's younger siblings, and the singer is also godmother to singer and actress Miley Cyrus.

Parton began her career as a child performing on local radio and television programs. At the age of 13, Parton started recording with a small record label Goldband and also made appearances at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. She graduated high school in 1964 and moved to Nashville in order to pursue her music career full time.

Parton originally began writing music, creating hit songs for Hank Williams Jr. and Skeeter Davis. Her singing career began when Parton performed duets with Porter Wagoner, beginning in 1968. Their collaboration spawned many hits, but Parton's solo career had yet to produce any popular singles. It wasn't until her number one hit, "Jolene", in 1974 that Parton officially became a hit singer in her own right. Although her success was originally grounded in country music, Parton branched out into the pop music realm in 1977. The album, Here You Come Again, became her first album to sell a million copies and also spawned her first top ten single on the pop charts. In 1978, Parton won a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for the album Here You Come Again.

In 1987, Parton returned to her country roots, releasing the album Trio. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Album of the Year and was awarded the Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance- Duo or Group. In 1999, Parton won another Grammy for the song "After the Gold Rush" from the Trio II Album. Throughout her Career, Parton would win a total of seven Grammy awards, as well as a slew of other prestigious honors.

As well as a wildly successful music career, Parton branched out into film. In 1980, Parton had a role in the film 9 to 5, which earned her critical acclaim as well as Golden Globe, and Academy Award nominations for her acting turn and for the song she recorded for the movie. Parton also appeared in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Rhinestone, and Steel Magnolias.

Parton also owns her own theme park, Dollywood. The park opened in 1961, in Pigeon Ford, Tennessee.