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Dolly Parton Biography (1946-)

Full name, Dolly Rebecca Parton (some sources spell given name "Dollie"); born January 19, 1946, in Locust Ridge (some sources cite Sevierville), Sevier County, TN; daughter of Robert Lee (a tobacco farmer) and Avie Lee (maiden name, Owens; some sources cite mother's name as Bessie Elizabeth Rayfield) Parton; sister of Stella Parton (a singer and actress), Rachel Parton (a singer and actress; also known as Rachel Dennison), Randy Parton (a singer and musician), and Floyd Parton (a musical performer and songwriter); married Carl Dean(a paving contractor), May 30, 1966; children: some sources cite a daughter,Virginia. Addresses: Agent: Sam Haskell, William Morris Agency, 151 South El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212.; Manager: Jim Morey, Morey Management Group, 335 North Maple Dr., Suite 351, Beverly Hills, CA 90210.; Publicist: Christine La Monte, Rogers & Cowan Public Relations, 1888 Century Park E., Suite 500, Los Angeles, CA 90067.

Nationality

American

Gender

Female

Occupation

Singer, songwriter, actress, composer, producer

Birth Details

January 19, 1946

Locust Ridge, Tennessee, United States

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Film Appearances
• Doralee Rhodes, Nine to Five, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1980
• Mona Stangely, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (also known asThe Best Little Cathouse in Texas), Universal, 1982
• Jacqueline "Jake" Ferris, Rhinestone, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1984
• Truvy Jones, Steel Magnolias, TriStar, 1989
• Dr. Shirlee Kenyon, Straight Talk, Buena Vista, 1991
• Herself, The Beverly Hillbillies, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1993
• Herself, Heartsong, 1995
• Mrs. McCluskey, Frank McKlusky, C.I., Buena Vista, 2002
• Film Work
• Music supervisor, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Universal,1982
• Music supervisor, Rhinestone, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1984
• Song producer, Straight Talk, Buena Vista, 1991
• Song producer, "If You Ain't Got Love," The Beverly Hillbillies, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1993
• Television Appearances
• Series
• The Porter Wagoner Show, syndicated, 1967-1974
• Host, Dolly, syndicated, 1976
• Host, Dolly (also known as The Dolly Show), ABC, 1987-1988
• Heavens to Betsy, 1994
• Appeared in the unreleased series Mindin' My Own Business, 1996.
• Specials
• The Rowan and Martin Special, NBC, 1973
• Burt Reynolds' Late Show, NBC, 1973
• Country Music Hit Parade, CBS, 1975
• Mac Davis ... Sounds like Home, NBC, 1977
• Barbara Walters Special, ABC, 1977
• Cher ... Special, ABC, 1978
• Dolly and Carol in Nashville, 1978
• Host, Country Stars of the 1970s, NBC, 1979
• Christmas Special ... With Love, Mac Davis, NBC, 1979
• Johnny Cash: The First 25 Years, CBS, 1980
• Mac Davis 10th Anniversary Special: I Still Believe in Music, NBC,1980
• Lily--Sold Out, CBS, 1981
• Fifty Years of Country Music, NBC, 1981
• Roy Acuff: 50 Years the King of Country Music, NBC, 1982
• The Best Little Special in Texas, syndicated, 1982
• Host, Dolly in Concert (also known as Dolly in London), HBO, 1983
• Kenny and Dolly: A Christmas to Remember, CBS, 1984
• Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton Together (also known as Kenny andDolly: Real Love), HBO, 1985
• Host, The Winning Hand, syndicated, 1985
• The 60th Anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry, CBS, 1986
• Walt Disney World's 15th Anniversary Celebration, ABC, 1986
• This Is Your Life, NBC, 1987
• Bob Hope's Jolly Christmas Show with the All-American Champs, NBC,1988
• Christmas in America: A Love Story (also known as Kenny Rogers'Christmas in America), NBC, 1989
• Kenny, Dolly, and Willie: Something Inside So Strong, NBC, 1989
• TNN's All-Star Salute to Country Music, The Nashville Network, 1990
• Dolly Parton: Christmas at Home (also known as Christmas at Home and Dolly Parton: Home for Christmas), ABC, 1990
• MDA Jerry Lewis Telethon, syndicated, 1990
• Holiday Gourmet, The Nashville Network, 1990
• The Designing Women Special: Their Finest Hour, CBS, 1990
• The Dream Is Alive: The 20th Anniversary Celebration of Walt Disney World (also known as Walt Disney World's 20th Anniversary Celebration), CBS, 1991
• Hats Off to Minnie Pearl: America Honors Minnie Pearl, The Nashville Network, 1992
• Bob Hope's America: Red, White and Beautiful--The Swimsuit Edition, NBC, 1992
• Burt Reynolds' Conversations With ... , CBS, 1992
• Celebrities Offstage, The Nashville Network, 1992
• A Country Music Celebration, CBS, 1993
• Kathie Lee Gifford's Celebration of Motherhood, ABC, 1993
• Billy Ray Cyrus, 1993
• The 10th Annual Television Academy Hall of Fame, The Disney Channel, 1994
• (In archive footage) Herself, Carol Burnett: The Special Years, 1994
• Dolly Parton: Treasures, CBS, 1996
• Grand Ole Opry 70th Anniversary, CBS, 1996
• Grand Ole Opry Musical Salute to Minnie Pearl (also known as Grand Ole Opry Musical Salute to Minnie Pearl), CBS, 1996
• The Life and Times of Kenny Rogers, The Nashville Network, 1996
• Voice of Katrina Eloise Murphy, The Magic School Bus Holiday Special (animated), PBS, 1996
• Company's Comin': A Tribute to Porter Wagoner, The Nashville Network, 1997
• Prime Time Country Celebrates 15 Years of TNN, The Nashville Network, 1998
• The Life and Times of Tammy Wynette, The Nashville Network, 1998
• Unspoiled Country, The Nashville Network, 1998
• Roddy McDowall: Hollywood's Best Friend, Arts and Entertainment, 1998
• Reba McEntire, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
• The Life and Times of Ricky Skaggs, The Nashville Network, 1999
• Intimate Portrait: Barbara Mandrell, Lifetime, 1999
• Host, Grand Ole Opry 75th--A Celebration, CBS, 2000
• Brenda Lee: Little Miss Dynamite, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
• Graham Goes to Dollywood, 2001
• Movies
• Herself Single Bars, Single Women, 1984
• Lorna Davis, A Smoky Mountain Christmas, ABC, 1986
• Thiola "Big T" Rayfield, Wild Texas Wind (also known as The BigT), NBC, 1991
• Herself, Big Dreams & Broken Hearts: The Dottie West Story (also known as Paper Mansions: The Dottie West Story), CBS, 1995
• Ruby Diamond, Unlikely Angel, CBS, 1996
• Herself, Get to the Heart: The Barbara Mandrell Story, CBS, 1997
• Leanna Taylor, Blue Valley Songbird, Lifetime, 1999
• Herself, Jackie's Back! (also known as Jackie's Back: Portraitof a Diva), Lifetime, 1999
• Miniseries
• Herself, Naomi & Wynonna: Love Can Build a Bridge (also knownas The Judds: Love Can Build a Bridge), NBC, 1995
• America's Music: The Roots of Country, TBS, 1996
• Episodic
• Musikladen, 1977
• Guest host, The Midnight Special, 1978
• Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters, 1980
• Captain Kangaroo, 1985
• Solid Gold, 1985
• Guest, Fame, Fortune and Romance, ABC, 1986
• Voice, "Urban Chipmunk," Alvin & the Chipmunks (animated), NBC, 1987
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, 1987
• Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's Saturday Night, Saturday Night, Saturday Night Live 80, SNL, and SNL25), NBC, 1989
• Late Night with David Letterman, 1989
• Guardian angel, "Their Finest Hour," Designing Women, CBS, 1990
• Herself, "Twentieth Century: Parts 1 & 2," Designing Women, CBS, 1990
• Herself, "Hello Dolly," Babes, Fox, 1991
• Herself, Jack's Place, ABC, 1993
• Voice of Katrina Eloise "Murph" Murphy, "The Family Holiday Special," The Magic School Bus (animated), PBS, 1994
• Late Show with David Letterman, 1994, 1995
• The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 1996
• Guest host, Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, syndicated, 1996
• Guest presenter, The National Lottery, 1998
• Voice, "Sunday, Cruddy Sunday," The Simpsons (animated), Fox, 1999
• Herself, "Halloween," Bette!, CBS, 2000
• Parkinson, 2001
• So Graham Norton, Channel 4, 2001
• Late Show with David Letterman, 2002
• The View, 2002
• The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, 2002
• Also appeared on The Bill Anderson Show, The Cass Walker Program, and The Wilbur Brothers Show.
• Awards Presentations
• The 18th Annual Country Music Association Awards, CBS, 1984
• The 20th Annual Country Music Association Awards, CBS, 1986
• Host, The 22nd Annual Country Music Association Awards, CBS, 1988
• The 23rd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, NBC, 1988
• The 23rd Annual Country Music Association Awards, CBS, 1989
• The 24th Annual Country Music Association Awards, CBS, 1990
• The 25th Annual Country Music Association Awards, CBS, 1991
• Music City News Country Songwriters Awards, The Nashville Network,1992
• The 26th Annual Country Music Association Awards, CBS, 1992
• Presenter, TNN Music City News Country Awards, The Nashville Network, 1993
• The 27th Annual Country Music Association Awards, CBS, 1993
• The 28th Annual Country Music Association Awards, CBS, 1994
• Presenter, The 36th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1994
• The 66th Annual Academy Awards Presentation, ABC, 1994
• Song performer, The 29th Annual Country Music Association Awards,CBS, 1995
• The 30th Annual Country Music Association Awards, CBS, 1996
• Presenter, The 43rd Annual Grammy Awards (also known as 2001 Grammy Awards), CBS, 2001
• The 33rd Annual Country Music Association Awards, CBS, 1999
• The 35th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, CBS, 2000
• The 31st Annual Dove Awards, syndicated, 2000
• Television Work
• Series
• Production supervisor, Dolly (also known as The Dolly Show), ABC, 1987-1988
• Movies
• Executive producer and coproducer, Wild Texas Wind, NBC, 1991
• Executive producer, Unlikely Angel, CBS, 1996
• Executive producer, Blue Valley Songbird, Lifetime, 1999
• Specials
• Executive producer, Dolly Parton: Christmas at Home (also known asDolly Parton: Home for Christmas), ABC, 1990
• Executive producer, Dolly Parton: Treasures, CBS, 1996
• Radio Appearances
• Featured on The Grand Ole Opry, WSM, Nashville, and The Cass Walker Program, Knoxville, TN, in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
• RECORDINGS
• Albums
• Puppy Love, Gold Band, 1960
• Hello, I'm Dolly, Monument, 1967
• (With Porter Wagoner) Just between You and Me, RCA Victor, 1968
• Just Because I'm a Woman, RCA Victor, 1968
• (With Wagoner) Just the Two of Us, RCA Victor, 1968
• In the Good Old Days When Times Were Bad, RCA Victor, 1969
• (With Wagoner) Always, Always, RCA Victor, 1969
• My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy, RCA Victor, 1969
• The Fairest of Them All, RCA Victor, 1970
• (With Wagoner) Porter Wayne and Dolly Rebecca, RCA Victor, 1970
• As Long as I Love, Monument, 1970
• A Real Live Dolly, RCA Victor, 1970
• (With Wagoner) Once More, RCA Victor, 1970
• Best of Dolly Parton, RCA Victor, 1970
• Golden Streets of Glory, RCA Victor, 1971
• (With Wagoner) Two of a Kind, RCA Victor, 1971
• Joshua, RCA Victor, 1971
• (With Wagoner) The Best of Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner, RCA Victor, 1971
• The World of Dolly Parton, Monument, 1971
• Coat of Many Colors, RCA, 1971
• (With Wagoner) The Right Combination: Burning the Midnight Oil, RCA Victor, 1972
• (With Wagoner) Together Always, RCA Victor, 1972
• Dolly Parton Sings My Favorite Songwriter: Porter Wagoner, RCA, 1972
• Just the Way I Am, Camden, 1973, re-released, 1986
• (With Wagoner) We Found It, RCA Victor, 1973
• My Tennessee Mountain Home, RCA Victor, 1973
• (With Wagoner) Love and Music, RCA Victor, 1973
• Bubbling Over, RCA Victor, 1973
• Mine, Camden, 1973
• Jolene, RCA Victor, 1974
• (With Wagoner) Porter 'n' Dolly, RCA Victor, 1974
• Love Is Like a Butterfly, RCA Victor, 1974
• The Bargain Store, RCA Victor, 1975
• Best of Dolly Parton, Volume 2, RCA Victor, 1975
• (With Wagoner) Say You'll Be Mine Forever, FCA Victor, 1975
• Dolly: The Seeker ... , RCA Victor, 1975
• All I Can Do, RCA Victor, 1976
• Here You Come Again, RCA Victor, 1977
• New Harvest--First Gathering, RCA Victor, 1977
• Heartbreaker, RCA Victor, 1978
• Great Balls of Fire, RCA Victor, 1979
• (With Kitty Wells) Dolly Parton and Kitty Wells, Exact, 1980
• Dolly, Dolly, Dolly, RCA Victor, 1980
• (With Wagoner) Sweet Harmony--Porter & Dolly, RCA Victor, 1980
• Nine to Five (and Odd Jobs), RCA Victor, 1980
• Heartbreak Express, RCA Victor, 1982
• (With Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, and Brenda Lee), Kris, Willie, Dolly, and Brenda: The Winning Hand, Monument, 1982
• The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (original soundtrack recording), RCA Victor, 1982
• Dolly Parton's Greatest Hits, RCA Victor, 1982
• Burlap and Satin, RCA Victor, 1983
• Songbook, Exact, 1984
• The Great Pretender, RCA Victor, 1984
• Rhinestone (original soundtrack recording), RCA Victor, 1984
• (With Kenny Rogers) Once upon a Christmas, RCA Victor, 1984
• Dolly Parton Collector's Series, RCA Victor, 1985
• Portrait, RCA Victor, 1986
• Think about Love, RCA Victor, 1986
• Real Love, RCA Victor, 1986
• The Best There Is, RCA Victor, 1987
• The Best of Dolly Parton, Volume 3, RCA Victor, 1987
• (With Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt) Trio, Warner Bros., 1987
• Rainbow, CBC Records, 1988
• White Limozeen, CBS Records, 1989
• Best of Dolly Parton, RCA Victor, 1990
• Home for Christmas, CBS Records, 1990
• Eagle When She Flies, Sony, 1991
• Straight Talk (original soundtrack recording), Hollywood Records,1992
• The RCA Years: 1967-1986, RCA Victor, 1993
• Slowing Dancing with the Moon, Columbia, 1993
• Heartsongs: Live from Home, Columbia, 1994
• (With Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette) Honky Tonk Angels: Loretta, Dolly, Tammy, Columbia, 1994
• Something Special, Columbia, 1995
• The Essential Dolly Parton, RCA Victor, 1995
• Super Hits, RCA Victor, 1996
• I Will Always Love You & Other Greatest Hits, Columbia, 1996
• Treasures, Rising Tide, 1996
• The Essential Dolly Parton--Volume II, RCA Victor, 1997
• I Believe, BNG, 1997
• Her Greatest Hits, 1998
• Hungry Again, Decca, 1998
• (With Harris and Ronstadt) Trio II, Elektra, 1998
• The Grass Is Blue, Sugar Hill, 1999
• Little Sparrow, Sugar Hill, 2001
• Halos and Horns, Sugar Hill, 2002
• Other albums include Daddy Was an Old Time Preacher Man, The Great Pretender, I Couldn't Wait Forever, I Will Always Love You, Once upon a Christmas, Something Fishy, and We Used To. Single recordings include "Dumb Blonde," 1967; also recorded (with Porter Wagoner) "Better Move It on Home," "Golden Streets of Glory," (with Wagoner) "If Teardrops Were Pennies," (with Kenny Rogers) "Islands in the Stream," "Mule Skinner Blues," "Tennessee Homesick Blues," (with Wagoner) "Touch Your Woman," RCA Victor, 1972; "(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher," and arendition of Cat Stevens's "Peace Train."
• Videos
• Captain Kangaroo and His Friends, Encyclopedia Britannica Educational, 1985
• Dollywood: A Memory Worth Repeating, 1996
• Also appeared in the music videos "Dagger through the Heart," "The Day IFall in Love," "Eagle When She Flies," "He's Alive," "Honky Tonk Songs," "I Know You by Heart," "I'm Gone," "Just When I Needed You Most," "Light of a Clear Blue Morning," "Love Is Strange," "More Where That Came From," "PotentialNew Boyfriend," "Real Love," "The River Unbroken," "Rockin' Years," "Romeo,""The Salt in My Tears," "Shine," "Silver and Gold," "Silver Threads and Golden Needles," "Straight Talk," "Those Memories of You," "To Know Him Is to LoveHim," "When You Tell Me that You Love Me," and "Why'd You Come in Here Lookin' like That."
• WRITINGS
• Film Music
• Song, "It's All Wrong, but It's All Right," Norma Rae, 1979
• (With Charles Fox) Theme music, Nine to Five, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1980
• Songs, "I Will Always Love You" and "Sneakin' Around," The Best LittleWhorehouse in Texas, Universal, 1982
• Score and songs, Rhinestone, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1984
• Songwriter, Pink Cadillac, Warner Bros., 1989
• Songwriter, Straight Talk, Buena Vista, 1991
• Song, "I Will Always Love You," The Bodyguard, Warner Bros., 1992
• The Beverly Hillbillies, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1993
• Song, "Here I Am," Another Day in Paradise, Trimark Pictures, 1998
• Song, "9 to 5," Karaoke Verite, 1999
• Song, "9 to 5," Office Space, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1999
• Songs, "It's All Wrong, but It's All Right" and "Jolene," Women Talking Dirty, 1999
• Song, "When Love Is New," Songcatcher, 1999, Lions Gate Films, 2001
• Song, "I Will Always Love You," Moulin Rouge!, Twentieth Century-Fox, 2001
• Television Music
• Series
• Theme song, "Love Is Like a Butterfly," Butterflies, 1978
• Title song, Nine to Five, 1980
• Song, "I Will Always Love You," Jack's Place, 1992
• Movies
• Songwriter, A Smoky Mountain Christmas, 1986
• Music composer (and coauthor of script), Wild Texas Wind, NBC, 1991
• Songwriter, "Unlikely Angel" and "What'cha Trying to Do to Me?" Unlikely Angel, CBS, 1996
• Composer of title song, Blue Valley Songbird, Lifetime, 1999
• Specials
• Song, "A Christmas to Remember," Kenny & Dolly: A Christmas to Remember, CBS, 1984
• Song, "Christmas in America," Christmas in America: A Love Story,NBC, 1989
• Books
• Just the Way I Am: Poetic Selections on "Reasons to Live, Reasons to Love and Reasons to Smile" from the Songs of Dolly Parton, Blue Mountain (Boulder, CO), 1979
• Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business (autobiography), HarperCollins (New York City), 1994
• Coat of Many Colors (children's book), illustrated by Judith Sutton, HarperTrophy, 1994
• Songs
• (With Bill Owens) "Put It Off until Tomorrow," Combine Music, 1965
• (With Dorothy Jo Hope) "Daddy Was an Old Time Preacher Man," RCA, 1970
• "Joshua," RCA, 1970
• "Coat of Many Colors," RCA, 1971
• "I Will Always Love You," RCA, 1974
• "Jolene," RCA, 1974
• "To Daddy," Velvet Apple Music, 1976
• "Two Doors Down," RCA, 1978
• "Nine to Five," RCA, 1981
• "Appalachian Memories," RCA, 1983
• "Tennessee Homesick Blues," RCA, 1984
• Also wrote "Here You Come Again" and "Islands in the Stream."

Further Reference

ADAPTATIONS

• The television movies A Smoky Mountain Christmas and Wild TexasWind were based on stories by Parton.

OTHER SOURCES

Books

• Busnar, Gene, Superstars of Country Music, J. Messner, 1984
• Careff, Ed, Dolly Parton: Close Up/Up Close, 1983
• Fleischer, Leonore, Dolly: Here I Come Again, Paperjacks Books, 1987
• James, Oris, Dolly Parton: A Personal Portrait, 1976
• Contemporary Musicians, Volume 24, Gale, 1999
• Nash, Alanna, Dolly Parton (also known as Dolly Parton: The Early Years), Reed Books, 1978
• Parton, Dolly, Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business, HarperCollins (New York City), 1994
• Parton, Willadeene, In the Shadow of a Song, Bantam (New York City), 1985
• Parton, Willadeene, Smoky Mountain Treasures, introduction by Dolly Parton, Rutledge Hill Press, 1996
• Parton, Willadeene, All-Day Singing and Dinner on the Ground, foreword by Dolly Parton, Rutledge Hill Press, 1997
• Pasternak, Judith Mahoney, Dolly, Metrobooks, 1998
• St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, St. James Press, 2000
• Scoby, Lola, Dolly Parton: Going to Town, 1985
• Shue, Lori, Dolly Parton, 1990
• Simon, George T., The Best of the Music Makers, Doubleday (New York City), 1971

Periodicals

• Country America, October, 1989, pp. 20-23; November, 1993, pp. 34-36, 38
• Country Music, July/August, 1987, p. 30; September/October, 1989,p. 28
• Country Standard Time, February/March, 2001, pp. 30-31
• Film Comment, September/October, 1989, p. 62
• Interview, July, 1989, p. 36; March, 2001, p. 95
• Life, March, 1987
• Ms., June, 1979; July, 1986, p. 14; January, 1987, p. 66
• More, May, 2002, pp. 108-111, 132
• New York Times Magazine, May 9, 1976
• Observer, September 6, 1998
• Paper, July, 1997, pp. 60-65, 87
• People Weekly, April 21, 1997, p. 111; April 10, 2000, p. 22
• Playboy, October, 1978, pp. 81-110
• Playgirl, January, 1981
• Rolling Stone, October 23, 1975; August 15, 1977
• Saturday Evening Post, October, 1989, p. 46
• USA Today, August 25, 1998