If you’re a big fan of country music, the name Dolly Parton is surely familiar to you. With her strong voice, songwriting talent, and vibrant personality, she has made a lasting impact on the music industry.
“If someone told me I had to choose between giving up music or going back to being poor,” Dolly said, “I would choose being poor and start over with my music. That’s how much I love it.” Thankfully, this talented woman never had to make that choice. Before becoming a global superstar, Dolly Parton was a young artist with big dreams, aspiring to be a country music star, movie star, global icon, and beloved humanitarian.
The night she graduated from Sevier County High School, she stood up and announced, “I’m gonna move to Nashville and be a big star.” Even after selling over one hundred million albums, she remains a top storyteller. Let’s look back at some beautiful photos of young Dolly Parton, capturing the spirit of the woman who would become the Queen of Country Music.
Her tough childhood filled with musical passion
Her story begins in a humble cabin nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains. Dolly Rebecca Parton was born there on January 19, 1946. Dr. Robert F. Thomas – An itinerant preacher, paid with a sack of cornmeal, helped bring her into the world. Dolly later wrote a song about Dr. Thomas.
She grew up in a large family, the fourth of twelve children. Her family was “dirt poor,” as she described it. “If there’s one positive thing about being poor,” she wrote in her 1994 memoir, Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business, “it’s that it makes a person more creative.”
Her family’s poverty inspired early songs like “Coat of Many Colors” and “In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad).” The Partons lived in a one-bedroom cabin on their small farm in Locust Ridge, a Pentecostal area in the Smoky Mountains. Dolly’s family had a rich musical tradition.
Her mother played the guitar well, and her grandfather, Reverend Jake Owens, was also a musician whose song “Singing His Praise” was recorded by Kitty Wells. Growing up in a musical family, she started performing at an early age.
She sang in her grandfather’s church at age 5, played a homemade guitar at 7, and received her first real guitar at 8 from her uncle. “When he taught me a chord, I not only learned it, but I added to it,” she recalled. “I made a lick out of it, then wrote a song to it.”
First step to success
As a child, Dolly penned her first songs. One was “Little Tiny Tasseltop,” inspired by her homemade corncob doll. Another was the haunting “Life Doesn’t Mean That Much to Me.” Dolly soon started performing and singing on local radio and TV in East Tennessee. She was a regular on The Cas Walker Show, backed by her uncle on electric guitar in 1956.
“I sang on the television before my family ever owned one,” said Parton. At 13, she recorded “Puppy Love” and performed at the Grand Ole Opry, where Johnny Cash encouraged her to follow her instincts. After high school in 1964, Dolly moved to Nashville.
She initially found success as a songwriter with her uncle Bill Owens, and they wrote hits for artists like Bill Phillips and Skeeter Davis, such as “Put It Off Until Tomorrow” and “Fuel to the Flame”.
Rise to fame
Dolly’s big break came in 1966 when country singer Bill Phillips heard her demo of “Put It Off Until Tomorrow,” a song she had written by herself. Phillips wanted to record it with Dolly’s backup vocals. The song became a big hit, bringing Dolly to the huge attention of DJs across the country.
After this success, Dolly recorded more country songs for Monument, including her first solo hit, “Dumb Blonde”. Her first country single, “Dumb Blonde,” reached number 24 on the country charts in 1967, followed by “Something Fishy,” which hit number 17. These songs were part of her first album, “Hello, I’m Dolly.”
Despite early setbacks, Dolly’s determination and talent helped her rise from poverty to become a country music legend.
Her blossoming career lasting decades
Dolly Parton’s career took off when she joined Porter Wagoner’s television show in 1967. Porter Wagoner invited Dolly to be his new “girl singer” on his TV show after Norma Jean left. Dolly and Porter recorded duets for eight years. In 1967, Monument released her first solo LP, Hello, I’m Dolly. Soon after, RCA Victor signed her, beginning a nearly 20-year collaboration. Dolly became a regular on the Grand Ole Opry and enjoyed crossover hits that increased her popularity in both country and pop music. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Dolly’s career flourished. She released multiple albums each year and won numerous awards. Her song “Joshua” became her first solo #1 hit in 1971. In 1974, she had three more #1 hits: “Jolene,” “Love Is Like a Butterfly,” and “I Will Always Love You.” This last song was her personal farewell to Porter Wagoner.
Dolly’s success continued into the 1980s with hits like “9 to 5,” which topped the pop, country, and adult contemporary charts. She also ventured into movies, starring in films like 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias. Her theme park, Dollywood, became a major tourist attraction, and her Imagination Library provided books to children around the world.
Throughout her career, Dolly has written over 3,000 songs and released 52 studio albums. She has won numerous awards, including the National Medal of Arts and the Kennedy Center Honors. Dolly’s music and philanthropy have made a lasting impact on the world.
As she once said, “At the end of the day, I hope that I will be remembered as a good songwriter. The songs are my legacy.” As Dolly’s career grew, so did her style. Her signature style is unmistakable. Known for her high-bluffant hairstyles, bold makeup, and sparkling outfits, she exudes confidence and glamour. Her look is a blend of country charm and Hollywood glitz, making her a standout icon in both music and fashion.
Stunning Photos of Young Dolly Parton
As Dolly’s career grew, so did her style. Her signature style is unmistakable. Known for her high-bluffant hairstyles, bold makeup, and sparkling outfits, she exudes confidence and glamour. Her look is a blend of country charm and Hollywood glitz, making her a standout icon in both music and fashion.
1. Dolly and her former musical partner, Porter Wagoner, 1967
2. Another candid shot of Dolly with Porter Wagoner in Nashville, 1968
3. Dolly channeled some hippie vibes in the 1960s
4. 24-year-old Dolly was as gorgeous as ever, 1970
5. Dolly was a show-stopper in red photographed in California, 1970
6. By 1972, her iconic look was starting to take shape
7. The outfit is classic Dolly, a butterfly embroidered on the sleeve and her name on her pant leg, 1974
8. Dolly takes the stage with her acoustic guitar, 1974
9. Dolly’s sunny disposition matches her yellow dress in this mid-1970s photo
10. 1975 Dolly still stayed a country girl at heart
11. A true beauty with perfectly coifed hair, 1976
12. Patchwork bell bottoms and a crochet top made an epic statement at the London Airport, 1976
13. Even when wearing a casual look, Dolly managed to look glam, 1977
14. Dolly sparkled while attending an event in Los Angeles, 1977
15. 31-year-old Dolly at the Fourth Annual American Music Awards in Santa Monica, California, 1977
16. Dolly and a banjo: What a magical sight, 1977
17. Dolly pictured while singing 1978
18. Dolly posed arm-in-arm with singer Emmylou Harris and tailor-to-the-stars Nudie Cohn, 1978
19. Pretty in pink doesn’t begin to describe this portrait, 1978
20. This look, including the makeup, the hair, and the sequins, almost too good, 1979
21. Dolly’s royal blue outfit has a butterfly: her signature motif, 1979
22. Dolly rocked the stage, 1980
23. Dolly’s glam look from the 9-to-5 premiere left us speechless, 1980
24. Dolly took the stage at a Cornell Medical Center benefit at the Waldorf Astoria, 1985
25. Dolly waving from the set of Dolly, her variety series, 1987
26. Dolly is a true 1980s queen in this denim outfit with extra-long red nails.
27. Jane Fonda, Dolly Parton and Lily Tomlin in 9 to 5
28. Publicity shot of American singer Dolly Parton, 1977
29. Dolly Parton on why she doesn’t regret any of her looks
30. This glamorous shot from a portrait session in 1978 proves Dolly has always been a ray of sunshine!
