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 housewife and Robert Lee Parton, a tobacco farmer. She was on Knoxville TV at 12 years old. At the age of 13, she recorded on an unnamed label and performing at the Grand Ole Opry. She graduated high school in 1964 before moving to Nashville for her country music journey. She was in love with Carl Dean, who ran an asphalt-paving business; they got married on May 30 1966 and have remained together. Porter Wagoner hired her in 1967 to be a part of his show The Porter Wagoner Show (1961). She stayed with the show for seven years. The duets they performed became famous and she was invited to appear with him at the Grand Ole Opry. When her smash hit "Joshua" reached #1 in 1970, her popularity had overshadowed his, and she began to go out on her own though still recording duets with his. She was no longer with him and went solo in 1974. Dolly became a hugely popular musician and singer. Dolly was awarded many Country Music Association awards (1968-70 1971-1972, 1975-1976, and 1976). The petite (5'0") beauty seemed to be a perfect match for television. In the mid-1970s, she was regularly appearing on talk shows and prior to receiving her own Dolly (1976). Dolly received her first Grammy award in 1977 for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. Dolly's first film appearance was in 9 to 5 (1980) In the film, she was awarded an Oscar nomination for the song's title tune, and also Grammy Awards 2, 3, Best Country Song, and Best Female Country Vocal Performance for the song "Nine to Five." Dolly gained more attention for being in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982) as well as in Rhinestone (1984) with the hit song "Tennessee Homesick Blues". Dolly Parton Enterprises is her media empire that is worth $100 million. In 1986, she launched Dollywood in the form of a Tennessee theme park located in Pigeon Forge. This was to celebrate her Smoky Mountain upbringing. In the television series Dolly she was the lead herself. For "Trio" she was awarded the Best Country Performance Duo or Group with Vocals Grammy in 1988.