Dolly Parton
From a dirt-floor cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains to the highest echelons of global pop culture, Dolly Parton’s life story remains one of the most remarkable journeys in modern American entertainment. Appalachian Roots to Nashville Breakout Born in 1946 as the fourth of 12 children in rural East Tennessee, Dolly Rebecca Parton was raised surrounded by folk balladry, church gospel, and deep poverty. Learning guitar at age eight, she was already singing on local television by ten and made her Grand Ole Opry debut at thirteen. The day after graduating high school in 1964, she packed her bags for Nashville. Her big break came in 1967 as the co-host on The Porter Wagoner Show , a partnership that launched her to national stardom before she launched her legendary solo career. A Songwriting Powerhouse At her core, Dolly was a master storyteller with sharp business instincts. She wrote thousands of songs throughout her career, famous for retaining full publishing ownership over ...
