Dolly Rebecca Parton

Dolly Rebecca Parton was conceived in Pittman Center on January 19 1946. She was born in Sevierville to Avie Lee Parton (a housewife) and Robert Lee Parton (a tobacco farmer). At the age of 12, she was already appearing on Knoxville TV. At 13 she was already recording for a small record label and performing at Grand Ole Opry. She graduated from high school in 1964 and relocated to Nashville to begin her country singing journey. Carl Dean, an asphalt-paving businessman, was drawn to her, and they were married on May 30th June, 1966. Porter Wagoner hired her in 1967 to perform on his show The Porter Wagoner Show (1961). The show lasted for 7 years, their duets were a hit as well as she appeared with his band at the Grand Ole Opry; she also sold and toured records. When her 1970 hit "Joshua" was ranked at the top spot, her popularity was too great to match his. In 1974, she was alone and recorded duets alongside his. He was gone and she became a solo artist in 1974. Dolly was a massive success as a singer/songwriter. Dolly received many Country Music Association awards (1968 1970, 1970, 1971, 1975, and 1976). The petite (5'0") beauty was a perfect fit for television. By the mid-1970s, Dolly was frequently appearing in TV specials and talk shows, and was even receiving her own Dolly (1976). In 1977, Dolly got her first Grammy award: Best Female Country Vocal Performance for her hit song "Here You Go Again." Dolly made her debut in a film in 9 to 5 in 1980. She received nominations for an Oscar for the title track, as well as Grammy Awards 2/3: Best Country Song and Best Female Country Vocal Performance. The movie gained her more recognition for appearing in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982) and in Rhinestone (1984) with the song "Tennessee Homesick Blues". She is the head of Dolly Parton Enterprises, a $100 million media empire, and in 1986, she established Dollywood the theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, to honor her Smoky Mountain childhood. In the TV show of 1987, Dolly she played herself. She won another Grammy in 1988, this time for Best Country Performance Duo/Group with Vocals in the category of "Trio".