Dolly Rebecca Parton

Dolly Rebecca Parton was born on the 19th of January, 1946 in Pittman Center, Tennessee and was raised in Sevierville, Tennessee to Avie Lee Parton who was a housewife & Robert Lee Parton, a tobacco farmer. When she was 12 she was already appearing on Knoxville TV. At 13 she was already recording on a label of a small size and performing on the Grand Ole Opry. She graduated from high school in 1964, and then moved to Nashville to begin her country-singing journey. Carl Dean, a asphalt-paving business owner, was her first lover. They were married on May 30, 1966. Her singing in 1967 caught the interest of Porter Wagoner, who hired her to be a part of his show, The Porter Wagoner Show (1961). The show lasted for seven years. Their duets became famous and she performed with his group on the Grand Ole Opry; she also sold and toured records. When her 1970 hit "Joshua" was ranked at the top spot, her popularity was so great that she was unable to match his. In 1974, she was alone and recorded duets with the singer. In 1974, she quit for a new solo artist. Dolly gained immense popularity as a songwriter/singer. Dolly was honored with numerous Country Music Association awards (1968-1971, 1971, 1975-1976, 1975-1976). She was a small (5'0") beauty who was naturally at television. In the mid-1970s, Dolly was often appearing on talk-shows and TV specials prior to getting her own show, Dolly (1976). Dolly was awarded her first Grammy award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 1977 for "Here You Come Again". Dolly made her film debut in 9 to 5, the year 1980. The film received nominations for an Oscar for the song that was the title and also for Grammy awards 2/3: Best Country Song and Best Female Country Vocal Performance. Her most memorable roles were in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982) and Rhinestone (1984), where she sang "Tennessee Homesick Blues". Dolly Parton Enterprises is her media empire worth $100 million. In 1986, she created Dollywood the Tennessee theme park located in Pigeon Forge. This was to honor her Smoky Mountain childhood. She was in the show Dolly (1987 TV series) as herself. In 1988, she won another Grammy: Best Country Performance Duo or Group with Vocals, for "Trio".