1946-2026: Country singer Dolly Parton's legendary career
Dolly Rebecca Parton was born on Jan. 19, 1946, in Pittman Center, Tennessee, and grew up in a one-room cabin in nearby Locust Ridge.
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Dolly Parton performs in concert in Tokyo, July 30, 1979. (AP Photo/Tsugufumi Matsumoto)
Dolly Parton met Carl Dean outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat the day she moved to Nashville at 18.
Dolly Parton in 'The Porter Wagoner Show' in 1961.
They married two years later, on Memorial Day -- May 30, 1966 -- in a small ceremony in Ringgold, Georgia.
Country Music singers Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers rehearse a song for their appearance on the TV show "Live... And in Person" in Los Angeles, Sept. 27, 1983. (AP Photo/Doug Pizac)
Dolly Parton and Olympia Dukakis in 'Steel Magnolias' in 1989.
This June 20, 1984, file photo, shows from left, Morris Gibb, Dolly Parton, and Robin Gibb, on ABC-TV's "Good Morning America Show" in New York. (AP Photo/Mario Suraini)
Dolly Parton in '9 to 5' in 1980.
In this undated photo, Nashville, Tenn., newsman Joe Edwards, who has been writing the "Nashville Sound" column for nine years and knows everyone in the country music industry, poses with friend, actor and singer Dolly Parton at an awards reception. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Dolly Parton appears on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Dec. 14, 1977. (NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)
Les Paul, right, and Chet Atkins, left, are presented Grammies by Dolly Parton and Freddie Fender, second from right, at 19th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, Feb. 19, 1977. (AP Photo/George Brich)
American singers Dolly Parton and Carol Burnett performing in a TV special, February 1979. (UPI/Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)
Jane Fonda, from left, Dolly Parton and Lily Tomlin get together Dec. 12, 1980 at a Los Angeles news conference to promote their movie "9 To 5". (AP Photo/Wally Fong)
Dolly Parton and Burt Reynolds appear onstage during a screening at the Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas, on July 11, 1982. (Ken Vaughan/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images)
Sylvester Stallone points to Dolly Parton in a scene from the film 'Rhinestone', 1984. (20th Century-Fox/Getty Images)
Dolly Parton performs during an event celebrating the Kansas statewide expansion of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Monday, Aug. 14, 2023, in Overland Park, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
U.S. country singer Dolly Parton performs during her concert in Ijsselhallen in Zwolle, north eastern Netherlands, Sunday March 18, 2007, as part of her European tour. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
Dolly Parton hosts the Flame Worthy Awards show in Nashville, Tenn. on Wednesday, April 21, 2004. The Flame Worthy Awards are given out for country music videos. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Dolly Parton poses for photographers at a store in New York Thursday Oct. 20, 2005. Parton was at the store to sign copies her new album "Those Were the Days". (AP Photo/Tina Fineberg)
Dolly Parton, left, and Miley Cyrus perform "Jolene" at the 61st annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 10, 2019. (Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Actor and Director George Clooney, left, talks with Entertainer Dolly Parton during Oscar rehearsals at the Kodak Theatre for the 78th Annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles on March 3, 2006. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
In a tribute to country legend Tammy Wynette (background photo), Martina McBride, left, Patty Loveless, second from left, Dolly Parton, centre, Wynona Judd, second from right, and Naomi Judd sing "Stand By Your Man," at the 35th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Universal City, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2000. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
Country music legend Dolly Parton relaxes at her office in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Aug. 11, 2005. (AP Photo/John Russell)
Hosts Reba McEntire, from left, Carrie Underwood and Dolly Parton appear at the 53rd annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Dolly Parton impersonator Sandy Anderson, left, performs with Kenny Rogers impersonator Marty Edwards during the sixth annual Celebrity Impersonators convention at the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas on Tuesday, May 30, 2006. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Dolly Parton, left, and Katy Perry perform “Coat Of Many Colors” at the 51st annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, April 3, 2016, in Las Vegas. (Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Reba McEntire, left, performs "How Blue" with Dolly Parton during taping of the Country Music Television's "Giants" tribute honoring McEntire, Thursday night, Oct. 26, 2006, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Dolly Parton poses with Don McLean during a taping for Dolly Parton's Smoky Mountain Rise Telethon Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Kelsea Ballerini, left, and Dolly Parton perform "Big Jeans and Faded Dreams" at the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards on Monday, March 7, 2022, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Jimmy Allen, from left, Dolly Parton, and Gaby Barrett speak at the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards on Monday, March 7, 2022, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Dolly Parton, from left, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood arrive at the 58th annual Academy of Country Music Awards on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at the Ford Center in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
Host Dolly Parton appears on stage with a goat at the 58th annual Academy of Country Music Awards on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at the Ford Center in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
U.S. country singer Dolly Parton performs during her concert in Ijsselhallen in Zwolle, north eastern Netherlands, Sunday March 18, 2007, as part of her European tour. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
Singer-songwriter Dolly Parton speaks at an event where her organization, Imagination Library, donates the 100 millionth book, Dolly Parton's "Coat of Many Colors," to the Library of Congress collection, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Dolly Parton poses with Don McLean during a taping for Dolly Parton's Smoky Mountain Rise Telethon Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Dolly Parton speaks during a news conference for her show Dolly: An Original Musical, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Dolly Parton peforms during halftime of an NFL football game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Commanders Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Dolly Parton performs during halftime of an NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. Dallas won 45-10. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
Dolly Parton appears at an event to celebrate the expansion of the Imagination Library of Kentucky at the Lyric Theatre in Lexington, Ky., on Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
Dolly Parton performs during the first half of an NCAA college football game between Tennessee and Georgia, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Dolly Parton addresses attendees at an event celebrating the Missouri statewide expansion of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Dolly Parton performs during an event celebrating the Kansas statewide expansion of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Monday, Aug. 14, 2023, in Overland Park, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Dolly Parton arrives at the 51st annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, April 3, 2016, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Dolly Parton is seen Dollywood's Season Passholder and Media Day Parade on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. (Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Dolly Parton says she will read bedtime stories to children in a new virtual series called "Goodnight with Dolly." (Dolly Parton's Imagination Library)
Cast members Queen Latifah, right, and Dolly Parton greet each other at the premiere of "Joyful Noise" in Los Angeles, Monday, Jan. 9, 2012. "Joyful Noise" will be released in theaters Jan. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
Dolly Parton appears on stage at Dollywood's Season Passholder and Media Day on Saturday, March 9, 2024, in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. (Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Dolly Parton, left, and Dollywood Parks and Resorts President, Eugene Naughton, appear at Dollywood's Season Passholder and Media Day on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. (Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Dolly Parton is seen during CMA Fest on Thursday June 6, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Dolly Parton performs in Knoxville, Tenn., on May 27, 2014. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
