Country music icon and actor Dolly Parton initially found success with country star Porter Wagoner in the 1960s before embarking on a solo career marked by hit songs like “Joshua,” “Jolene,” “The Bargain Store,” “I Will Always Love You,” “Here You Come Again,” “9 to 5,” and “Islands in the Stream.” A highly skilled singer-songwriter known for thoughtful narratives and distinctive vocals, Parton won many major awards, including 10 Grammys, and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999. She also starred in the movies 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and Steel Magnolias. In 1986, she opened her Dollywood theme park, now part of a network of attractions. Parton died on August 25, 2026 at the age of 80.

Dolly Rebecca Parton was born on January 19, 1946, in Locust Ridge, Tennessee, to Robert Lee Parton, an illiterate sharecropper and farmer, and Avie Lee Owens Parton. “I guess my mama knew I was going to want to be a star,” Dolly later said about her mother’s choice for her first name.

Dolly grew up in rural Appalachia and was the fourth of 12 children, all of whom her mother delivered before turning 35. Three of Dolly’s six brothers have died, including Larry who was just four days old at the time of his 1955 death. Dolly’s five sisters are all still living. She described her family as “dirt poor,” noting that money was always an issue for them while growing up.

Parton’s first exposure to music came from her family members, including her mother, who sang and played guitar. She learned about music at an early age while performing in church and was writing songs before she knew how to read, according to People. Parton received her first guitar from a relative and soon began to pen her own tunes.

At age 10, she started performing professionally, appearing on local television and radio shows in Knoxville, roughly an hour from her home, and made her Grand Ole Opry debut three years later. Set on a career in music, she then moved to Nashville the day after finishing high school in 1964.

Parton’s singing career really started to take off in 1967. Around this time, she partnered with country singer Porter Wagoner on The Porter Wagoner Show. Parton and Wagoner became a popular duo, and the pair recorded a slew of country hits together. Much was made of her shapely curves, petite 5-foot-tall stature, and warm personality, which to some people belied a thoughtful, visionary artist with a strong business sense. Since her early career, Parton protected the publishing rights to her catalog of songs, which earned her millions in royalties.

“As soon as I could, I started my own publishing company, got my own record label. I think it’s important, if you can, to keep all of your goods close to home where you can control them and know what’s happening with them.”—Dolly Parton

Her work with Wagoner also helped Parton land a contract with RCA Records. After having had several charting singles, Parton scored her first No. 1 country hit in 1971 with “Joshua,” a bluegrass-inspired track about two solitary figures who find love. More No. 1 hits followed, including “Jolene,” a haunting 1973 single with a real-life inspiration , and “I Will Always Love You,” a 1974 tribute to Wagoner as the two parted ways professionally. Elvis Presley wished to record a cover of the song, but Parton refused when Presley’s infamous manager, Colonel Tom Parker, tried to insist she sign half the song’s publishing rights over to Presley.

Other country hits from this era included the ethereal “Love Is Like a Butterfly,” the provocative “The Bargain Store,” the spiritual “The Seeker,” and the rollicking “All I Can Do.” For the range of her compelling work, she won the CMA Award for Female Vocalist in 1975 and 1976.

In 1977, Parton had her first crossover smash with the bouncy, bittersweet ode to a returning lover “Here You Come Again.” The song reached the top of the country charts as well as No. 3 on the pop charts and also marked the singer-songwriter’s first Grammy Award, for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. More emotionally-driven No. 1 country hits followed including “It’s All Wrong, But It’s Alright,” “Heartbreaker,” and “Starting Over Again,” a ballad written by disco star Donna Summer.