Dolly Parton Biography: 50 Years of Inspiration

Have you ever known someone whose presence just makes you light up and smile? Someone who has such a positive affect on the world that you can't help but listen to this person whenever they talk? Dolly Parton is one of these people.

Born Dolly Rebecca Parton on January 19, 1946, Dolly has become an American Grammy winning and Academy Award-nominated country singer, songwriter, composer, author and actress. This amazing woman is known for her big hair and big cup size, but most importantly, her wonderful voice. Dolly has been entertaining generations for over 50 years, and we have loved every minute of it. So where did Dolly Parton originate from? What are her likes? What are her dislikes? What has she really accomplished? And most importantly, what are her future plans?

Dolly was born the fourth of twelve children to Robert Parton and Avie Owens in Sevierville, Tennessee. Her family was far from being rich and her parents and eleven siblings lived in a one room cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains. Dolly Parton was influenced by music at a very early age because it was a very large part of her church going experience, although she never really has professed any denomination, she believes that all Earth's people are God's children and you can find her performing spiritual songs quite frequently. Dolly stands at 5 feet tall, around 115 pounds, and has been said to have measurements of 40DD-20-36. In one interview in the Irish Independent, she said she had gotten breast enhancements at a cost of about $3,000, her breasts are rumored to be insured for $600,000. She has freely admitted to a great deal of plastic surgery, including having anything sucked, tucked or lifted when it starts to sag. She has said she had her breasts "lifted," has had work done on her face, neck and rear end, regularly endures chemical facial peels and takes collagen injections to hide wrinkles. She has said that she is not ashamed of having plastic surgery because she wants to look her best for her fans and believes anyone who wants to have it done, has the money to pay for it, thinks it will improve their self-esteem and visits a licensed and qualified doctor for the procedure should go ahead and do it. Dolly also has one tattoo of a small angel on her upper left arm, a butterfly on her chest, and also she has rolled with the times and pierced her navel.

As early as 13, Dolly was performing on local radio programs and also had a small record label. Her first appearance at the Grand Ole Opry was at the age of 13 as well. Dolly Parton's success began as a songwriter for Hank Williams Jr and Skeeter Davis in 1965. In 1966 on May 30th, at 20 years old, Dolly married a man named Carl Dean. They have been married forty years and have no children because of Dolly's allergic reaction to birth control pills when she was younger; she was not able to have her own children.

Before long, Parton's fame began to supersede Wagoner's and when her single "Joshua" in 1970 reached No.1, she decided to start doings things on her own. She continued recording duets with Wagoner but finally left him, becoming a fully-fledged solo artist, in 1974 when she released "I Will Always Love You" and it shot to No.1 on the country charts. It certainly was the right decision and Parton swiftly gained popularity as both a singer and a songwriter, winning numerous Country Music Association awards, in 1968, 1970, 1971, 1975 and 1976.

By the mid-1970's Dolly began to tune her talents to television as she became a natural when it came to talk shows and television specials. Dolly started her own variety television show in 1976 called "Dolly". The show had high ratings, but she began experiencing stress to her vocal chords, the show only lasted one season. Speaking of vocal chords, singing is not all this little lady can do, she also can play guitar, banjo, autoharp, piano, and drums.

Dolly stands in fifth place when it comes to the most Grammy Awards won by female country performers with seven gramophone trophies. According to sales, "Islands In The Stream" with Kenny Rogers sold more than two million copies and was the biggest selling record of 1983. Out of all of the albums and singles that Dolly holds, she has received 25 gold and platinum awards.

Dolly has received the nickname "The Iron Butterfly" because of her being a shrewd businesswoman and also for her keen financial sense. Dolly is definitely a businesswoman with her theme park Dollywood and its adjacent water park, Dolly's Splash Country, in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. She also operates a chain of equestrian dinner theaters called the Dixie Stampedes in Pigeon Forge; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Branson, Mo.; and Orlando, Fla. She and longtime manager Sandy Gallin still operates Sandollar Productions. She has her own record label, Blue Eye Records. She used to have a Revlon cosmetics line which is now out of production and a line of wigs, which has also been out of production.

Dolly Parton is a very caring person and is quite the philanthropist. She dontates several million dollars each year to non profit organizations, not to mention she operates her own educations program and scholarship called the Dollywood Foundation. Dolly doesn't forget about the little ones, twice a year Dolly has breakfast with children from the Make A Wish Foundation. She also has been known to spend time with terminally ill adults who want to meet her.

Dolly has the most amazing voice and the most loving heart, there is no other way to describe her other than that.