Dolly Rebecca Parton

Dolly Rebecca Parton was born on January 19, 1946 in Pittman Center, Tennessee and was raised in Sevierville, Tennessee to Avie Lee Parton, a homewife and Robert Lee Parton, a tobacco farmer. She was featured on Knoxville TV at 12 years old. At the age of 13, she was recording on an unnamed label and singing at the Grand Ole Opry. She graduated from high school in 1964, and then moved to Nashville for her country music journey. Carl Dean, an asphalt-paving businessman, was drawn to her and they got married on May 30 the 30th of May, 1966. Porter Wagoner saw her singing and hired her to appear on The Porter Wagoner Show (1961). She remained with the show for seven years. Their duets were well-known and she was invited to perform with him at the Grand Ole Opry. Her hit "Joshua", which reached the top spot in 1970, was her biggest hit single. She made the decision to go by herself and remained with the group, even though she recorded duets with him. The singer left him and became a solo artist in 1974. Dolly became a huge hit as a songwriter/singer. Dolly was awarded numerous Country Music Association awards (1968 1970, 1970, 1971 1975, and 1976). The petite (5'0") beauty was an easy fit for television. The mid-1970s saw her becoming a regular on TV. Dolly was frequently appearing on television specials, talk shows and prior to having her own Dolly (1976). Dolly received her first Grammy award in 1977 for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. Dolly's first movie appearance was in 9-to-5 (1980) in which she was awarded an Oscar nomination for her song title and Grammy awards 2 and 3. She also received Grammy awards 2, and 3. Best Country Song and Best Female Country Vocal Performance, for the song "Nine to Five." Further fame was earned through her appearances in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982), as well as Rhinestone (1984) in which she sang the hit track "Tennessee Homesick Blues". Dolly Parton Enterprises, worth $100 million, is her biggest. Dollywood was established in Pigeon Forge in Tennessee in 1986 in celebration of her Smoky Mountain heritage. In the 1987 television show Dolly she was the lead herself. For "Trio", she won the Best Country Performance Duo or Group with Vocals Grammy in 1988.