Dolly Rebecca Parton

Dolly Rebecca Parton was conceived in Pittman Center on January 19, 1946. She was raised in Sevierville to Avie Lee Parton (a housewife) and Robert Lee Parton (a tobacco farmer). When she was 12, she was being telecast on Knoxville TV and at 13 she had already begun recording with a small label , and was performing on the Grand Ole Opry. After finishing high school in 1964, she relocated to Nashville to begin her country singing career. Carl Dean, an asphalt-paving businessman, fell in love with her and they got married on May 30th June, 1966. In 1967 , her singing attracted the attention of Porter Wagoner, who hired her to perform on his show, The Porter Wagoner Show (1961). She remained on the show for seven years. The duets they performed became famous and she was invited to perform alongside him at the Grand Ole Opry. The hit song "Joshua" was a chart-topper. #1 in 1970 was her biggest single. She decided to do on her own, even though she still recorded duets with the singer. In 1974, she left him to be a solo artist. Dolly became a hugely popular musician and singer. Dolly was awarded many Country Music Association awards (1968-1971 1971, 1975-1976, 1975-1976). She was a petite (5'0") beauty who was a natural for television. In the late 1970s, Dolly appeared on a variety of Talk-shows and television specials, before having her own show, Dolly (1976). In 1977, Dolly got her first Grammy award: Best Female Country Vocal Performance for her track "Here You Go Again." Dolly made her film debut in 9 to 5 in the year 1980. The film received nominations for an Oscar for the title song, as well as Grammy Awards 2/3: Best Country Song and Best Female Country Vocal Performance. Dolly gained more attention for her role in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982), and in Rhinestone (1984) with the track "Tennessee Homesick Blues". Dolly Parton Enterprises, worth $100 million, is her chief. Dollywood was established in Pigeon Forge in Tennessee in 1986 in celebration of her Smoky Mountain heritage. In the television series Dolly she played herself. In 1988 she was awarded another Grammy: Best Country Performance Duo or Group with Vocals for "Trio".