Introduction to Dolly Parton
Over 100 million records sold, 25 number one hits in the US country charts, eleven Grammys and three Emmys – country star Dolly Parton is one of the most successful singers in the world, and she has so much more to offer. At 80, she brings the same energy as she did at the start of her career.
Early Life and Career
Dolly Parton came from a humble background: she grew up with eleven siblings in Sevier County, Tennessee. Born on January 19, 1946, her parents paid the doctor who helped give birth to her with a sack of cornmeal – although some sources claim it was oats. Dolly was born into a musical family and learned to play the guitar at the age of seven. She made her first television appearance at the age of ten.
Intelligence and Early Success
Multiple sources report that Dolly Parton’s IQ is at least 140. Her first song to enter the US country charts on January 21, 1967 was "Dumb Blonde". In it she sings: “This stupid blonde is no fool”. It was a bold start to her entry into 1960s show business, which was then dominated by men. "I’m not offended by all the stupid blonde jokes because I know I’m not stupid… and I also know I’m not blonde," she said of the stereotype.
Fashion and Beauty
Throughout her seven-decade career, Dolly Parton has loved following fashion trends — especially when it comes to hairstyles. However, as mentioned above, her signature platinum blonde hair was never actually her own. Instead of ruining her hair through constant bleaching, she started wearing wigs at an early age. It is said that her collection now includes over 350 different wigs.
Philanthropy and Giving Back
Since 1995, Dolly Parton’s Dollywood Foundation has sponsored books for children through its Imagination Library program. From the day a child is born, parents can request a book every month up to the age of five. More than 300 million books have already been distributed in five English-speaking countries: USA, Canada, Australia, Great Britain and Ireland. Each year, the foundation also awards five college scholarships to Sevier County high school seniors.
COVID-19 Support
In 2020, Dolly Parton donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee, where the biotechnology company Moderna was working on a COVID-19 vaccine. She said of her donation: “I am a very proud girl today knowing that I have any involvement in something that will help us through this crazy pandemic.” A few months later, she received the vaccine in front of cameras and rewrote her hit “Jolene” into “Vaccine” for the occasion.
Musical Legacy
“Jolene” is one of the most covered songs in the history of popular music. The web portal “cover.info” lists over 80 official cover versions – from famous artists to indie musicians. One of the most popular covers was the rough and dark interpretation by the US duo “The White Stripes” from 2004. Dolly herself has recorded several versions of her famous hit: for example, accompanied by the a cappella group “Pentatonix” or together with her famous godchild, pop star Miley Cyrus.
Songwriting and Royalties
On the same day in 1972, Dolly Parton wrote both “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You.” When Whitney Houston reported on the latter two decades later, it became an instant worldwide hit. You may be surprised to know that “I Will Always Love You” was never intended to be a romantic song. In fact, it was about Dolly ending her professional relationship with her mentor, country star Porter Wagoner. Whitney Houston’s ’90s cover version earned Dolly Parton another $10 million in royalties.
A Fun Fact
Dolly Parton once entered a Dolly Parton drag queen lookalike contest — and lost. On a show, Parton revealed that she overdid her styling to avoid being recognized: she made her beauty mouth bigger, her breasts bigger, and her hair bigger. All participants had to walk across the stage at a gay bar and whoever received the most applause was declared the winner. In the end, it wasn’t Dolly who won – and the prize went to a man.
