While the famous “9 to 5” country singer is renowned for her unique voice and iconic style, Dolly Parton lived a long life of activism, starting from humble beginnings many years before being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Born into a family of 12 children, Parton grew up in Locust Ridge, Tennessee. Growing up in Appalachia in such a large family, Parton was familiar with challenging work and struggle. She expressed her experiences growing up through songs like “Coat of Many Colors,” which described her experiences being bullied for the coat her mother made her out of old scraps and patches.
While her upbringing wasn’t always easy, Parton held the strong belief that she had a connection and happiness with her family that was worth more than anything money could buy, just as she expressed in “Poor Folks Town.”
Bill Owens, Parton’s uncle who gifted her first guitar, set her up to do a short performance on a Knoxville, Tennessee reality TV show. By the time Parton was 16, she appeared on Grand Ole Opry and recorded singles for labels in Louisiana and Nashville. Unfortunately, after Owens and Parton’s songs “It’s Sure Gonna Hurt” and “The Love You Gave” failed to make the charts, the duo was dropped from both labels.
Unmoved by the lack of immediate success, following her graduation from high school in 1964, Parton packed up and moved to Nashville. Shortly after moving, she met her husband, Carl Dean, outside the local laundromat. In 1966, Parton and Dean were married in a small Baptist church in Georgia. The couple remained together until Dean’s passing at age 82 on March 3, 2025.
1967 is widely known as Parton’s biggest breakthrough into the country music industry. Following her songs “Something Fishy” and “Dumb Blonde” making Billboard’s country chart and the release of her first full album, Hello, I’m Dolly, Parton was invited to join The Porter Wagoner Show. Her appearance on the show quickly made her a well-known icon across the country.
Wagoner and Parton’s single “The Last Thing on My Mind” quickly landed them a record deal with RCA. The duo’s album “Just Between You and Me” propelled them to the CMA Award for top vocal group of the year, as well as Music City News duet of the year.
Parting with Wagoner in 1974 to grow her personal career, Parton was awarded CMA Female Vocalist of the Year two years in a row (1975 and 1976), as well as Entertainer of the Year in 1978.
Notably, the release of Parton’s song “Here You Come Again” propelled her popularity by providing a unique crossover between country and pop music. Parton launched her own TV show, Dolly, in 1976 and received her first GRAMMY Award nomination for her album All I Can Do in 1977.
Following the release of her album Dolly, Dolly, Dolly in 1980, Parton attended her first Oscars ceremony as a presenter for the night’s musical awards. Later that year, Dolly made her film debut in 9 to 5, where all music and lyrics featured were attributed to herself.
The beginning era of Parton’s career ended with “9 to 5” hitting number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and certifying gold in 1981. Her upbringing and attitude were true proof that no amount of money can buy happiness or fame, but love and an unwavering spirit will be the driving force of happiness and success.
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