Dolly Rebecca Parton was born on January 19, 1946, one of 12 children of Robert Lee Parton, a tobacco farmer, and Avie Lee Parton (née Owens). Dolly grew up on a run-down farm in Locust Ridge, TN. At 12, she was appearing on Knoxville TV and, at 13, she was already recording on a small label and appearing at the Grand Ole Opry. After graduating from high school in Sevier County, Tennessee, in 1964, she moved to Nashville to launch her career as a country singer. She fell in love with Carl Dean, who ran an asphalt-paving business; they got married on May 30, 1966 (and they are still together). The next year, Dolly's singing caught the attention of Porter Wagoner. He hired Dolly to appear on his program, The Porter Wagoner Show. Dolly stayed with the show for 7 years, their duets became famous, and she appeared with his group at the Grand Ole Opry; she also toured and sold records. By the time her hit "Joshua" reached #1 in 1970, her fame had overshadowed Porter's, and she struck out on her own, though still recording duets with him. She left him for good to become a solo artist in 1974. Dolly gained immense popularity as a singer/songwriter. Dolly won numerous Country Music Association awards (1968, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1976). This petite (5'0") beauty was a natural for television and, by the mid-1970s, Dolly was appearing frequently on TV specials and talk shows. Dolly then got her own show, aptly titled Dolly. In 1977, Dolly got her first Grammy award: Best Female Country Vocal Performance, for her song "Here You Come Again". Dolly's movie debut was in Nine to Five, where she got an Oscar nomination for writing the title tune, and also Grammy awards 2 and 3, Best Country Song, and Best Female Country Vocal Performance for _"Nine to Five". Dolly got more fame for appearing in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and in Rhinestone with the song "Tennessee Homesick Blues". She is the head of Dolly Parton Enterprises, a $100 million media empire, and, in 1986, she founded Dollywood, a theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, celebrating her Smokey Mountain upbringing. She appeared as herself in the Dolly TV series. In 1988, she won another Grammy award: Best Country Performance Duo or Group with Vocals, for "Trio". Dolly was in the acclaimed picture Steel Magnolias with Julia Roberts, and went on to appear in 15 movies and TV-movies for the 1990s, and of course garnered more Country Music Association awards. In 2000, Dolly received her 5th Grammy award: Best Country Collaboration with Vocals. She also released a Bluegrass Album. Dolly is known for beautiful songs such as "Coat of Many Colors" and "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You". Dolly said in an interview, "My music is what took me everywhere I've been and everywhere I will go. It's my greatest love. I can't abandon it. I'll always keep making records".


Rhinestone (1984): $2,000,000

One of 12 children; grew up in a 1-room cabin in Tennessee. Since the early 90s, she has been trying to get CBS to run her sitcoms. Initially, in 1994, "Heavens To Betsy" was made, starring Dolly and Constance Shulman. That sitcom was scrapped, and the story was re-vamped for the Movie of the Week, Unlikely Angel (1996) (TV). Last time she was in an interview, she said her new sitcom had her cast as a "caterer to the stars". Reportedly has her breasts insured for $600,000. Her late father Robert was one of 15 children, and her mother Avie (Owens) was one of 10 children. Was a candidate for the hosting duties on "Family Feud" (1999) before Louie Anderson was hired. Sister-in-law of Richard Dennison. The children's television series "Sesame Street" (1969) introduced a character in homage to Dolly Parton. She had purple skin and blonde hair and went by the name of Polly Darton. Distant cousin of screenwriter Richard O'Sullivan. Measurements: 40DD-20-36 (definitive self-described figure in 1994), 48DD-25-38 (self-described in March 1993),42-19-34 (by her designer in 1990), 44-26-38 (in Italy's "Novella 2000" in 1985), salesperson at Frederick's Of Hollywood in 1985 confided she purchases black push-up bras in size 36DD, 42-26- 39 (reported in "Parade" Feb. 8, 1981), "The Book Of People" in 1981 reported 39- 25-39, 44-28 1/2-38 1/2 (reported in 1980), 46E-27-39 (at her heaviest 150#+ in late 1970s), 38-26-36 (according to the "Nashville Banner" in 1972), (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine) Ranked #34 on VH1's Greatest Women of Rock N Roll Her iconic hit song, "I Will Always Love You", was voted the No. 1 song on CMT 100 Greatest Love Songs of Country Music (2004) (TV). Is partly of Irish decent. She was unable to have children of her own because of an allergic reaction she experienced to birth control pills when she was younger. Her Duet Islands in the Stream with fellow country singer Kenny Rogers was ranked the #1 duet of all time on CMT 100 greatest country duets of all time. Dolly Parton was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2005. In 2006 she was awarded the Lindy Boggs Award from The Stennis Center for Public Service. She becomes the first nonpolitical recipient. Recorded the song "My Tennessee Hills" with folk icon Janis Ian for Ian's 2004 album "Billie's Bones". She has earned 5 BMI Million-Air (or more) Performance Awards and numerous BMI Songwriter Citations of Achievement. Her classic hit song "I Will Always Love You" is currently certified with a Six Million-Air award, meaning it has been played on radio and television over six million times. She was also honored with the prestigious BMI Icon Award in 2003. In 1987 she was among the women honored by Ms. Magazine as "Woman of the Year". She has a star on Nashville's Starwalk for Grammy Award Winners. She also has a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, which represents her accomplishments in the field of recording arts. Among 120 celebrities and movie industry executives to receive invitations for membership into the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) on July 5, 2006. The Academy only allows for 30 new members each year, but in 2006 invited more people for membership in order to replace previous members who passed away or were retiring. Other celebrities receiving invitations include Jake Gyllenhaal, Werner Herzog, Felicity Huffman, Joaquin Phoenix, Terrence Howard, Heath Ledger, and Dakota Fanning. There's a Dolly Parton look-alike contest in Gilley's bar in Urban Cowboy (1980). Sang with Solomon Burke on his 2006 CD "Nashville". The two did a duet on the Dolly written track "Tomorrow is Forever". The song was originally recorded by Parton and Porter Wagoner in 1969 and reached #9 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart. Sister of Willadeene Parton, Randy Parton and Stella Parton. In September 2002 she was named Tennessee's official ambassador for film and music by Gov. Don Sundquist. Her job is to promote the state to industry executives in Hollywood and raise awareness of Tennessee's capability to produce television, film, and recording projects (soundtracks) for Hollywood productions. On December 31, 2006, Parton was named by the Tennessean newspaper as 2006 Tennessean of the Year for her work with children's literacy. The newspaper has been naming a Tennessean of the Year since 1994. Had such a miserable time during filming of Straight Talk (1992), that she effectively retired from big screen acting. All her work since has been television work or appearances as herself. Selected by the Songwriters Hall of Fame as the 2007 recipient of the prestigious Johnny Mercer Award. Honored with a lifetime membership to Girl Scouts of Tanasi Council, a chapter of Girl Scouts of America, on June 15, 2007. Godmother of Miley Cyrus. In November 2007 the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars of the Smithsonian Institution honored Dolly with the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service in recognition of her civic work in regard to children's literacy. In 2006, she donated $500,000 to Fort Sanders Medical Center. She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6712 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California. Elected into the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2009. Elected into the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame [Songwriter Category] in 2008. During the 40th Annual Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards in 2009, Parton won for Best Musical Score for "9 To 5: The Musical" which played the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles during in the fall of 2008. On August 9, 1995 Dolly Parton was awarded the Outstanding Service to Youth Award from the Tennessee District - Optimist International. Dolly was offered $7 million to play the role of Selena in '_Supergirl_(1984)', but turned it down because she felt she couldn't play a witch. The role was eventually filled by Faye Dunaway.