# Dolly Parton

> Dolly Parton turned an East Tennessee childhood into a seven-decade body of songs, performances, businesses and public generosity. A writer before she was a star, she protected her catalog, made a clean break from Porter Wagoner with a farewell song, helped build Dollywood into a regional employer and founded an early-childhood book program that has distributed more than 300 million books worldwide.

- **Role:** Singer-songwriter, musician, actor, author, entrepreneur and philanthropist
- **Organizations:** The Dollywood Foundation, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, Dollywood, Dolly Records, Sandollar Productions
- **From:** Locust Ridge, Tennessee, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** High school diploma, Sevier County High School
- **Known for:** Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999., Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001., Received the Library of Congress Living Legend Medal in 2004.

## Career timeline

- **1956** — Began singing on local radio and television programs in East Tennessee at age 10.
- **1959** — Made her Grand Ole Opry debut at age 13.
- **1964** — Graduated from Sevier County High School and moved to Nashville.
- **1967** — Released her debut album, Hello, I'm Dolly, and joined The Porter Wagoner Show.
- **1969** — Became a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
- **1971** — Earned her first No. 1 country single with "Joshua."
- **1974** — Left The Porter Wagoner Show and released both "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You."
- **1977** — Crossed into pop with the album and single "Here You Come Again."
- **1980** — Made her film debut in 9 to 5; its title song topped pop, country and adult-contemporary charts.
- **1986** — Opened Dollywood in Pigeon Forge and entered the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
- **1988** — Founded The Dollywood Foundation.
- **1995** — Established Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Sevier County.
- **1999** — Was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
- **2001** — Was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
- **2006** — Received a Kennedy Center Honor.
- **2011** — Received the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award.
- **2014** — Played Glastonbury to the largest live audience of her career.
- **2022** — Was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
- **2023** — Released Rockstar, the biggest first-week album debut of her career.
- **2026** — Died in Nashville on August 25 at age 80; her family and team said her musical and philanthropic work would continue.

## Achievements

- Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999.
- Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001.
- Received the Library of Congress Living Legend Medal in 2004.
- Received the National Medal of Arts in 2005.
- Received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2006.
- Received the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.
- Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
- Earned 10 competitive Grammy Awards from 55 nominations according to the Recording Academy's artist record.
- Placed 26 songs at No. 1 on Billboard's country chart and sold more than 100 million records worldwide, according to her official biography.
- Founded a book-gifting program that has distributed more than 300 million books to children worldwide.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — Nashville partners announced the first Dolly Day for September 25, organized around charitable giving, kindness and her 9 to 5 legacy.
- **2026-09** — The Country Music Association announced an October 21 Nashville television special, I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton.
- **2026-08** — Her family announced that Dolly Parton died in Nashville on August 25, 2026, at age 80.
- **2026-08** — Her management said she left a roadmap for posthumous music and other releases.
- **2026-07** — She announced that DOLLY: A True Original Musical would begin Broadway previews at the St. James Theatre in December 2026.
- **2026-06** — The Imagination Library marked 20 years in Canada and five million books gifted there.

## Links

- Website: https://www.dollyparton.com/
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/DollyParton
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DollyParton
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dollyparton/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DollyParton/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dollyparton

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/dolly-parton
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-21