Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton was a Tennessee singer, songwriter and actress whose songs, from Jolene to 9 to 5, sit alongside a lasting commitment to children’s literacy.
At 100 nudges, fangea sends Dolly’s team an official invite.
🔒 Star boosts open once Dolly claims this page.
Latest
Dolly’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus her backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
Overview
- Born
- January 19, 1946 · Locust Ridge, Tennessee
- Died
- August 25, 2026
- Work
- Singer, songwriter, actress, author and philanthropist
- Breakout
- Joined The Porter Wagoner Show in 1967
Mini bio
How it started.
Dolly grew up in the Smoky Mountains, the fourth of twelve children. Her uncle Bill Owens encouraged her music, and she was performing on Knoxville television by age ten. She moved to Nashville after finishing high school in 1964.
Finding her voice.
Joining The Porter Wagoner Show in 1967 brought her to a national audience. Her own songwriting became the heart of her career: Coat of Many Colors drew on her mother’s patchwork coat, while I Will Always Love You marked her departure from Wagoner’s show.
Songs, screens and books.
She crossed into pop with Here You Come Again and made her feature film debut in 9 to 5. Later, she returned to bluegrass and explored rock on Rockstar. She also wrote books about her lyrics, clothes and performing life.
Giving back.
In 1995 she launched the Imagination Library in Sevier County, Tennessee. The program mails free books to children from birth to age five, regardless of family income. After her death in August 2026, her team committed to continuing projects she had helped develop.
Creditschronological, newest first
Music
- 2025Home Sweet HomeFeatured vocalist with Mötley Crüe
- 2024Smoky Mountain DNA: Family, Faith and FablesRecording artist with Dolly Parton & Family
- 2023RockstarSinger and songwriter
- 1974JoleneSinger and songwriter; includes I Will Always Love You
Film
- 19809 to 5Actor and writer of the title song
Books
- 2025Star of the Show: My Life on StageAuthor with Tom Roland
Awards
Quotes
My songs are the door to every dream I've ever had and every success I've ever achieved.Dolly Parton, Recording Academy artist biography
Her Recording Academy biography uses this quote to introduce her songwriting and career.
Trivia
- She wrote the words to Coat of Many Colors on the back of a dry-cleaning receipt while touring with Porter Wagoner.
- Her first day in Nashville, she met her future husband Carl Dean at a laundromat.
- Her first childhood song was about a corn-cob doll her mother made for her.
Find Dolly
Follow her official channels for music, memories and updates from her team.
Are you Dolly Parton?
Fans built this page. Claim it to connect with them and unlock Star boosts, or request a takedown if you’d rather it not exist.