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). She appeared on Knoxville TV at 12 years old. When she was 13, she was recording for the label of a small company, and singing at the Grand Ole Opry. She relocated to Nashville in 1964 to begin her country-singing career after she had graduated from high school. She became a fan of Carl Dean, who ran an asphalt-paving business; they married on May 30, 1966 and are still together. Porter Wagoner saw her singing and arranged for her to perform on The Porter Wagoner Show (1961). She was on the show for seven years. Her duets became famous, and she was part of Porter Wagoner's band at the Grand Ole Opry. She also sold records and toured. Her smash hit "Joshua" that reached the top spot in 1970, was her biggest hit single. She made the decision to go it alone, even though she still recorded duets with him. She was no longer with him and became a solo artist in 1974. Dolly was a popular songwriter and singer. Dolly was awarded numerous Country Music Association awards (1968 1970, 1970, 1971 1975, and 1976). The petite (5'0") beauty seemed to be a perfect match for television. By the mid-1970s, she was appearing regularly in TV specials and talk shows, and even before getting her own Dolly (1976). Dolly received her first Grammy award in 1977 for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. Dolly made her movie debut in the film 9 to 5, the year 1980. The film received nominations for an Oscar for the song that was the title and also for Grammy Awards 2/3: Best Country Song and Best Female Country Vocal Performance. The movie gained her more recognition for being 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 principal. Dollywood was established in Pigeon Forge in Tennessee in 1986 to celebrate her Smoky-Mountain heritage. In the TV show of 1987, Dolly, she starred as herself. She was awarded a second Grammy in 1988 for Best Country Performance Duo/Group , Vocals, for "Trio".