Dolly Parton

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Biography

Recent Role:
Herself on Live! with Kelly
Gender:
Female
Born:
1-19-1946
Birthplace:
Sevierville, Tennessee, USA
Birth Name:
Dolly Rebecca Parton
AKA:
Dolyl Parton
Dolly was born in 1946 one of 12 children to Robert Lee Parton, a tobacco farmer, and Avie Lee Parton. She grew up on a small run-down farm in Locust Ridge, Tennessee. She was performing on Nashville TV by the time she was 12 and by the age of 13 she was already recording on a small label and appearing at the Grand Ole Opry.

In 1964 after she graduated high school in Sevier County, Tennessee she immediately moved to Nashville to launch a musical career. Dolly fell in love with Carl Dean who ran a paving business, the two married on May 30, 1966 at a small chapel in Ringold,

… More Georgia and are still together to this day. The following year Dolly's singing caught the ear and attention of Porter Wagoner who then hired her to appear on his show "The Porter Wagoner Show." Dolly stayed on with Porter and the show for 7 years. Dolly and Porter's duets became famous, and she appeared with his group at the Grand Ole Opry, she also toured and sold solo records. By the time her hit "Joshua" reached number 1 in 1970, her fame had overshadowed that of Porter's, and she decided to strike out on her own. She left Porter in 1974 to become a solo artist, and quickly gained immense popularity as a singer and songwriter.

The petite 5'0" beauty was a natural for television, and by the mid-1970's Dolly had appeared on several TV specials and Talk Shows. In 1976 she was given her own TV show aptly titled "Dolly." The Grammy's came calling Dolly in 1977 when she was awarded her first Grammy for "Best Female Country Vocal Performance," for her song "Here You Come Again."


In 1980 Dolly leapt from TV screens to the big screen when she landed her first movie role as Dora Lee in "Nine to Five," starring alongside Lilly Tomlin and Jane Fonda. The movie was a Box-office smash that was critically acclaimed worldwide. Dolly also penned the title track "9-5" for the movie and received her first Oscar nomination for Best Song, and won two more Grammy's (Best Country Song, and Best Female Country Vocal Performance). Dolly earned more fame and praise in 1982 for her role in "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" as Miss Mona, and in 1984s Rhinestone.

Dolly is not only an amazing singer/actress/songwriter she is also a very savvy business woman. She heads Dolly Parton Enterprises which is a one hundred million dollar media empire. In 1986 she founded Dollywood, a theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee celebrating her Smoky Mountain upbringing.


She was again given a TV show in 1987 titled "Dolly." In 1988 she won another Grammy : Best Country Performance Duo or Group with Vocals for "Trio." As the 80's came to an end we once again found Dolly on the big screen starring as Truvy Jones in the 1989 picture "Steel Magnolias" with Julia Roberts, Sally Field, and Shirley Maclaine. Dolly would go on to star in more than 15 major motion pictures and TV movies in the 90's, and of course she would earn many more Country Music Association awards.

Dolly received her 5th Grammy in 2000 "Best Country Collaboration With Vocals." Dolly is known for her beautiful voice and songs such as "Coat of Many Colors," I Will Always Love You," and "Jolene." Dolly once said in an interview "My music is what took me everywhere I've been and everywhere I will go. It's my greatest love. I cant abandon it. I'll always keep making records."

To date Dolly has stuck by those words and has released such great bluegrass albums as "The Grass is Blue," "Little Sparrow," Halo's and Horn's," and the most recent "Those Were the Day's". She is still a very active performer and can be seen almost anywhere. She went out on tour in 2004 for the first time in ten years and has made cameos in many TV shows and specials and can be seen in "Miss Congeniality: Armed and Fabulous."

Dolly is one of the very few celebrities that everyone loves. She has woven herself into our heart strings and we love her for it. She is and will always be our favorite country Queen.

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  •  
    10 Perfect
    One of the greatest talents ever. hide show

    Dolly is absolutely one of the greatest talents in her industry. She is an amazing song writer, quite a funny actress, and her voice is probably the closest thing to an angel that we will ever find on earth. I have had the privilege of meeting her twice and I can honestly say that she was no different in person than what you see on T.V. she was down to earth and to funny for words. All in all I think if your looking to find a celebrity that you can relate to then Dolly is your gal. She is truly an amazing person.

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    bjenning Added Oct 19, 2008 All my reviews
  •  
    10 Perfect
    Love her!! hide show

    Dolly Parton is so awesome! She's a really great singer! I love her voice! It is sooo beautiful! It's really soothing. I also love her acting. I loved her role as Aunt Dolly on Hannah Montana or Dolly Major on Reba! She is HILARIOUS!!! She had me cracking up the whole time! She rocks hard!

    Dolly has that kind of personality that makes you feel like she's a part of your family, and that's a really cool personality. She is really cool and unique. She's also really pretty. I love her hair. I hope I look like her when I'm her age. What is that? 30? LOL! She looks so young. She rocks so hard!

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    Sweeeaaaterrr Added Apr 19, 2008 All my reviews
  •  
    10 Perfect
    She is so inspirational to me!! hide show

    Shes the one who inspired me to start singing and i love love love love her theme park dollywood located in the smokey Mt.s ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! shes my hero and now she's on my favorite show i the world man is there any thing she can't do ! ! i saw a show on her life last time i went to dollywood and i loved it she teaches you that no matter what you can fufill your dreams even if ppl tell you you can't ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

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    kimih12 Added Sep 24, 2006 All my reviews
 

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