Dolly Parton




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Dolly Parton Biography

She believes everyone on the planet is God's child. Though brought up in a Pentecostal denomination (Assembly of Gods), she professes no denomination but only claims that she is a Christian. Music was an indelible part of her Church experience. Born on January 19, 1946 in Sevierville, Tennessee Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American country singer, songwriter, composer as well as actress.

Parton is the 4rth of the 12 children of Robert Lee Parton and Avie Lee Owens. The children were born in one-room cabin and grew up "dirt poor" near Locust Ridge. Her siblings are Willadeene Parton, Bobby Parton, David Parton, Stella Parton (a singer), Denver Parton, Cassie Parton, Randy Parton, Larry Parton, twins Floyd Parton and Freida Parton, and Rachel Dennison (an actress).

Parton began her artistic pursuit as a child, singing on local radio and television in East Tennessee. She appeared on Knoxville TV at the age of 12, recorded on a small label and appeared at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville in the next year. Having graduated from high school in 1964, she moved to Nashville. She had also carried with her many traditional folkloric elements and popular music from East Tennessee.

On May 30, 1966, when she was 20, she married Carl Dean. Since their marriage they have lived together. Dean who is an asphalt-paving businessman based at Ringgold, Georgia, has fought shy of making public appearance with her wife.

In 1966, she gave harmony vocals (without credits) to her song "Put it Off Until Tomorrow" recorded by country star Bill Phillips. Reaching # 6 on the country charts, it earned her a respectable place in musical domain. A series of Parton’s singles with Monument Records in late 1964 failed to chart and finally a hit came up with "Dumb Blonde", which reached the country top 20 in 1967. The same year, Parton associated with Porter Wagoner and proved to be a successful duet team in the weekly syndicated country music TV program. During this period she also signed with RCA Records, Wagoner's label, and agreed to remain with it for the next two decades.

Parton is a sure-fire songwriter. She began it with country songs and one could trace strong elements of folk music in them, thanks to her upbringing in a low-profile mountain surroundings. Her songs "Coat of Many Colors" and "Jolene" are considered classics among many others.

She remained with the Wagoner show as well as recorded duets with him for seven years, before parting to become a solo artist. "I Will Always Love You" was released in 1974 and it topped #1 on the country charts. However, the single could not "crossover" to the pop charts.

More commercial success was awaiting Parton as a pop singer and actress. Her 1977 album "Here You Come Again" turned out to be her first million-seller. The title track entered as her first top-ten single on the pop charts. Her albums during this time were mainly produced for pop/crossover success.

Dolly Parton, was invited to act in Jane Fonda’s film ‘9 to 5’ and she garnered the public attention and scored a major hit with the title song. For her song and acting in "9 to 5", Parton won several honours like Academy Award nomination, Golden Globe nomination, Grammy Awards, and New Star of the Year. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982), and Steel Magnolias (1989) are other movies, which has brought her public’s appreciation and attention.

Her second version of "I Will Always Love You" (1982) for The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas became a #1 country hit and a pop chart topper. In 1986, she secured a place into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. The following year came out the release of the Decade-in-the-making Trio album, winning critical acclaim. In 1987, Parton switched from RCA to Columbia Records and made another attempt at her own TV variety show, named Dolly.

Parton's did the last starring role in 1992's film Straight Talk. She later donned the role of an overprotective mother in Frank McKlusky. In the mid 1990s, after Parton’s name was eliminated from country radio stations' play lists, she began concentrating in the recording of a series of critically acclaimed bluegrass albums.

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