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American country musician (born )

Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, ) 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 with Hello, I'm Dolly, which led to success during the remainder of the s (both as a solo artist and with a series of duet albums with Porter Wagoner), before her sales and chart peak arrived during the s and continued into the s.

Some of Parton's albums in the s did not sell as well, but she achieved commercial success again in the new millennium and has released albums on various independent labels since , 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 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 career-charted singles over the past 40 years. She has composed over 3, 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 and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas in (for each of which she earned Best ActressGolden Globe nominations) as well as Rhinestone in , Steel Magnolias in , Straight Talk in , and Joyful Noise in

Parton has received various accolades, including 11 Grammy Awards from 50 nominations.

She has won ten Country Music Association Awards, including Entertainer of the Year.

Full biography of dolly parton Dolly Parton (born January 19, , Locust Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.) is an American country music singer, guitarist, and actress best known for pioneering the interface between country and pop music styles. Parton was born into a poor farming family, the fourth of 12 children.

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 , Parton was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In , she received the National Medal of Arts, and in , 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

Dolly Rebecca Parton was born on January 19, , 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; –) and Robert Lee Parton Sr.

(–). 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.^[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 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 Mountainfolklore 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 s.

Years after the farm was sold, Parton bought it back in the late s. Her brother Bobby helped with building restoration and new construction.

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] The Parton family was well-fed despite their poverty, and the cookbook Good Lookin' Cookin' (co-written by her with her sister Rachel) recalls numerous family meals.^[19]

Parton began performing as a child,^[20] singing on local radio and television programs in the East Tennessee area.^[21] 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,^[22] and appeared at the Grand Ole Opry, where she first met Johnny Cash, who encouraged her to follow her own instincts regarding her career.^[23]

After graduating from Sevier County High School in , Parton moved to Nashville the next day.^[22] Her initial success came as a songwriter, having signed with Combine Publishing shortly after her arrival;^[24] 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" (), and Skeeter Davis's number 11 hit "Fuel to the Flame" ().^[25] Her songs were recorded by many other artists during this period, including Kitty Wells and Hank Williams Jr.^[26] She signed with Monument Records in , 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 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 , 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 , followed by "Something Fishy", which went to number The two songs appeared on her first full-length album, Hello, I'm Dolly.^[27]

Music career

– Country music success

In , 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.

Dolly Parton: Dolly Parton, born on January 19, , in Locust Ridge, Tennessee, is a country music icon whose career spans over seven decades. She gained initial fame in the s as part of a duo with Porter Wagoner on "The Porter Wagoner Show.".

As documented in her autobiography,^[28] 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).^[29] 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 , reached the country Top&#;10 in January , 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 and was a moderate chart hit, reaching number 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.

Paulo coelho full biography of dolly parton country singer Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, ) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and philanthropist, known primarily for her decades-long career in country music.

The duo was named Vocal Group of the Year in by the Country Music Association, but Parton's solo records were continually ignored. Wagoner had a significant financial stake in her future; as of , he was her co-producer and owned nearly half of Owe-Par,^[30] the publishing company Parton had founded with Bill Owens.

By , 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 , 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, )&#;&#; in addition to her duets.

Top&#;20 singles included "The Right Combination" and "Burning the Midnight Oil" (both duets with Wagoner, ); "Lost Forever in Your Kiss" (with Wagoner), "Touch Your Woman" (), "My Tennessee Mountain Home" and "Travelin' Man" ().^[31]

Although her solo singles and the Wagoner duets were successful, her biggest hit of this period was "Jolene".

Released in late , the song topped the country chart in February and reached the lower regions of the Hot (it eventually also charted in the U.K., reaching number seven in , 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 , and she stopped appearing on his TV show in mid, although they remained affiliated.

He helped produce her records through ^[28] The pair continued to release duet albums, their final release being 's Say Forever You'll Be Mine.^[32]

In , 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.^[33] 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 ("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 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 with "The Bargain Store".^[34]

– Pop transition

Between and , Parton had a series of country hits, with eight singles reaching number one.

Paulo coelho full biography of dolly parton book

Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, ) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and philanthropist, known primarily for her decades-long career in country music.

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.^[28]

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 , she began working closely with Sandy Gallin, who served as her personal manager for the next 25 years. With her 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 HarvestFirst Gathering (), 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.^[35] 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, '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&#; For the remainder of the s and into the early s, many of her subsequent singles moved up on both charts simultaneously.

Her albums during this period were developed specifically for pop-crossover success.^[36]

In , 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" (), "Baby I'm Burning" () and "You're the Only One" ()&#;all of which charted in the pop Top&#;40 and topped the country chart.

"Sweet Summer Lovin'" () 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 (timed to coincide with Here You Come Again's release) was followed by appearances in 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 , 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 , 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 ^[28] She had another Top&#;10 single that year with "Making Plans", a single released from a album with Porter Wagoner,^[37] released as part of a lawsuit settlement between the pair.

The theme song to the 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 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&#; Between and , 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 () 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 ^[28]

In the mids, her record sales were still relatively strong, with "Save the Last Dance for Me", "Tennessee Homesick Blues", "God Won't Get You" (), "Real Love" (another duet with Kenny Rogers), "Don't Call It Love" () and "Think About Love" () 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 , and she signed with Columbia Records in ^[28]

– Country and bluegrass period

Along with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt, she released Trio () 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&#; 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 (), including the single "The River Unbroken", it ended up a commercial let-down, causing Parton to focus on recording country material.

White Limozeen () 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 s and moved most veteran artists off the charts.^[28]

A duet with Ricky Van Shelton, "Rockin' Years" () 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 ().

Both the single and the album were massively successful. Parton's soundtrack album from the film, Straight Talk, however, was less successful. But her 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 album chart.

It would also become Platinum certified.^[38][39] She recorded "The Day I Fall in Love" as a duet with James Ingram for the feature film Beethoven's 2nd (). 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 with Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette.^[40] 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 , Parton contributed the song "You Gotta Be My Baby" to the AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Country produced by the Red Hot Organization.^[41] 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 ^[42]

Parton's recorded music during the mid-to-lates remained steady and somewhat eclectic.

Her 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 s/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 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 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 ^[40]

Parton recorded a series of bluegrass-inspired albums, beginning with The Grass Is Blue (), winning a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album; and Little Sparrow (), with its cover of Collective Soul's "Shine" winning a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.

The third, Halos & Horns () included a bluegrass version of the Led Zeppelin song "Stairway to Heaven". In , she released Those Were The Days consisting of her interpretations of hits from the folk-rock era of the late s and early s, including "Imagine", "Where Do the Children Play?", "Crimson and Clover", and "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?"^[40]

– Touring and holiday album

Parton earned her second Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for "Travelin' Thru", which she wrote specifically for the feature film Transamerica.

() Due to the song's (and film's) acceptance of a transgender woman, Parton received death threats.^[43] She returned to number one on the country chart later in by lending her distinctive harmonies to the Brad Paisley ballad, "When I Get Where I'm Going".^[40] In September , 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'sHot Country Songs chart.

It was followed by the studio album Backwoods Barbie, which was released on February 26, , and reached number two on the country chart. The album's debut at number 17 on the all-genre Billboard albums chart was the highest in her career.^[44]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.^[45][46]

On October 27, , Parton released a four-CD box set, Dolly, which featured 99 songs and spanned most of her career.^[47] She released her second live DVD and album, Live From London in October , which was filmed during her sold-out concerts at London's The O2 Arena.

On August 10, , 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, , Parton announced that her new album would be titled Better Day. In February , she announced that she would embark on the Better Day World Tour on July 17, , with shows in northern Europe and the U.S.^[48] The album's lead-off single, "Together You and I", was released on May 23, , and Better Day was released on June 28, ^[49] In , Parton voiced the character Dolly Gnome in the animated film Gnomeo & Juliet.

On February 11, , 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.'"^[50]

In , Parton joined Lulu Roman for a re-recording of "I Will Always Love You" for Roman's album, At Last.^[51] In , 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 Grammy Awards for Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.^[52] In , Parton embarked on the Blue Smoke World Tour in support of her 42nd studio album, Blue Smoke.^[53] 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 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, , 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 ,^[54] On March 6, , 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.^[55] 64 dates were planned in the United States and Canada, visiting the most requested markets missed on previous tours.^[56]

In the fall of she released "Jolene" as a single with the a cappella group Pentatonix and performed on The Voice with Pentatonix and Miley Cyrus in November ^[57] Also in , 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.^[58] 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 , 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 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 , Parton made an unannounced appearance at the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island, and performed several songs accompanied by the Highwomen and Linda Perry.^[59] In , 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^[60] went viral after celebrities posted their own versions of the so-called Dolly Parton challenge on social media. On April 10, , 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.^[61] On May 27, , 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 COVID pandemic. She also released a music video for "When Life Is Good Again", which premiered on Time talks on May 28, ^[62]

In , 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 , 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.^[63][64][65] Parton released A Holly Dolly Christmas in October ^[66] On December 6, CBS aired a Christmas special, "A Holly Dolly Christmas", where Parton performed songs from her album.^[67][68]

Since Rock album

In early , Parton was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.^[69] Parton initially declined the nomination believing that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was "for the people in rock music",^[70][71] but after learning that this was not the case Parton said she would accept her induction if she were chosen for the honor.^[71] In May her induction was announced, and finally on November 5, , she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.^[72][73] In October Parton stated in an interview that she would no longer tour, but would continue to play live shows occasionally.^[74] On December 31, , Parton co-hosted NBC's New Year's special Miley's New Year's Eve Party.^[75]

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

The soundtrack single "Gonna Be You" from the movie 80 for Brady was released January 20, 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.^[81]

Public image

Parton had turned down several offers to pose nude for Playboy magazine, but did appear on the cover of the October 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.^[83][84] In Mobile, Alabama, the General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge is commonly called "the Dolly Parton Bridge" due to its arches resembling her bust.^[85] The thickened appearance of the turret frontal armor of the TAmain battle tank led to the unofficial Army nickname "Dolly Parton"^[86] - and later the TBIs got the "Super Dolly Parton" nickname.^[87]

Parton is known for having undergone considerable plastic surgery.^[88][89] On a 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."^[90] 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.^[91] 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."^[92] 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."^[93] Parton said in that she had entered a Dolly Parton drag queen lookalike contest and lost.^[94]

Artistry

Influences

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 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.^[95] 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."^[95] Fellow singers also had an impact on Parton, describing George Jones as her "all time favorite singer",^[96] and recognizing her love for other artists such as Kitty Wells, Roy Acuff, and Rose Maddox.^[97][98]

Musicianship

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.^[99] 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."^[] Parton has also used her fingernails as an instrument, most evident on her 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.^[]

Other ventures

In , Nashville Business ranked her the wealthiest country music star.^[] As of ^[update], her net worth is estimated at $&#;million.^[]

Songwriting

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.

Paulo coelho full biography of dolly parton Dolly Parton, born on January 19, , in Locust Ridge, Tennessee, is a country music icon whose career spans over seven decades. She gained initial fame in the s as part of a duo with Porter Wagoner on "The Porter Wagoner Show.".

Her songs "Coat of Many Colors", "I Will Always Love You", and "Jolene", among others, have become classics. On November 4, , Parton was honored as a BMI Icon at the BMI Country Awards.^[] Parton has earned over 35 BMI Pop and Country Awards.^[] In , she was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.^[] In a interview on CNN's Larry King Live, she said she had written "at least 3," songs, having written seriously since the age of seven.

Parton also said she writes something every day, be it a song or an idea.^[]

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 ().

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 (), Kenny Rogers on Vote for Love (), and LeAnn Rimes on Unchained Melody: The Early Years (). 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.^[]

As a songwriter, Parton has twice been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song, for "9 to 5" and "Travelin' Thru" () from the film Transamerica. "Travelin' Thru" won Best Original Song at the Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards.

It was also nominated for both the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and the 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.^[]

Stage musicals

9 to 5: The Musical

Main article: 9 to 5 (musical)

Parton wrote the score (and Patricia Resnick the book) for 9 to 5: The Musical, a musical-theateradaptation of Parton's feature film 9 to 5 ().

The musical ran at the Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, in late It opened on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre in New York on April 30, , to mixed reviews.^[] The title track of her album Backwoods Barbie was written for the musical's character Doralee.^[] Although her score (as well as the musical debut of actress Allison Janney) was praised, the show struggled, closing on September 6, , after 24 previews and 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 (October 29, ),^[] in October Parton was in the midst of composing songs for a Broadway musical theater adaptation of the film.

In late June , 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.^[]Ambassador Theatre Group announced a UK tour for Dolly Parton's 9&#;to&#;5: The Musical, commencing at Manchester Opera House, on October 12, ^[]

Dolly: An Original Musical

In June , Parton announced an autobiographicalmusical about her life and career initially 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 with direction by Bartlett Sher.

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.^[] On December 6 of the same year, a new title, Dolly: An Original Musical, was revealed. On the same day, Parton launched a nationwide casting call for an actress to play her through different stages of her life by posting videos on social media with the hashtag #SearchForDolly.^[]

The Dollywood Company

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 waterparkDollywood'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.^[] 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 after the land and building were sold to a developer.^[] Starting in June , 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, , as Dolly Parton Day.^[]

On January 19, , 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.^[] On September 29, , Parton officially withdrew her support for the Nashville park due to the restructuring of Gaylord Entertainment Company after its merger with Marriott International.^[] On June 12, , it was announced that the Dollywood Company had purchased the Lumberjack Feud Dinner Show in Pigeon Forge.

The show, which opened in June , was owned and operated by Rob Scheer until the close of the season. The new, renovated show by the Dollywood Company opened in ^[]

Production work

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 (), which won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature; the television series Babes (–91) and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (–); and the feature films Father of the Bride (), Father of the Bride: Part II () Straight Talk () (in which Parton starred), and Sabrina (), among other shows.

In a 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.^[] After the retirement of her partner, Sandy Gallin, Parton briefly operated Dolly Parton's Southern Light Productions and in 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.^[]

Acting career

Acting breakthrough

In addition to her performing appearances on The Porter Wagoner Show in the s and into the s, her two self-titled television variety shows in the s and s, and on American Idol in and other guest appearances, Parton has had television roles.

In , she received an Emmy award nomination as "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Variety Program" for her guest appearance in a Cher special.^[] During the mids, Parton wanted to expand her audience base. Although her first attempt, the television variety show Dolly! (–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 (–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 (). The movie highlights discrimination against women in the workplace and created awareness of the National Association of Working Women (9–5).^[] 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][] Parton wrote and recorded the film's title song.

Dolly Parton

Biography, Songs, Films, & Facts

Britannica

It received nominations for an Academy Award for Best Song and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.^[] 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 chart and it was no.&#;78 on the "AFI's Years Songs" list released by the American Film Institute in 9 to 5 became a major box office success, grossing over $&#;million its opening weekend, and over $&#;million worldwide.

Parton was named Top Female Box Office Star by the Motion Picture Herald in both and due to the film's success.^[]

In late , Parton began filming her second film, the musical filmThe Best Little Whorehouse in Texas ().^[17] The film earned her a second nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress&#;&#; Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.^[] 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 (). 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

In , Parton returned to film acting in Steel Magnolias (), 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 moviesA Smoky Mountain Christmas (), Wild Texas Wind (), Unlikely Angel (), portraying an angel sent back to earth after a deadly car crash, and Blue Valley Songbird (), where her character lives through her music.

She starred with James Woods in Straight Talk (), which received mixed reviews, and grossed a mild $21&#;million at the box office.^[]

Parton's variety show Dolly lasted only one season. She made a cameo appearance as herself in The Beverly Hillbillies (), an adaptation of the long-running TV sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies (–).^[17] Parton has done voice work for animation for television series, playing herself in Alvin and the Chipmunks (episode "Urban Chipmunk", ) and the character Katrina Eloise "Murph" Murphy (Ms.

Frizzle's first cousin) in The Magic School Bus (episode "The Family Holiday Special", ). She also has guest-starred in several sitcoms, including a 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.