See a young Dolly Parton in her high school yearbook photos and get to know the ‘9 to 5’ and ‘I Will Always Love You’ singer better.
Full Name: Dolly Rebecca Parton
Birthdate: January 19, 1946 (Age 79)
High School: Sevier County High School, Sevierville, TN
Yearbooks: 1964
Who is Dolly Parton?
How could you possibly forget taking long drives down empty country roads listening to ‘I Will Always Love You’, or hearing the effortlessly catchy melody of ‘9 to 5’ for the first time? Dolly Parton’s classic hits never fail to bring about a nostalgic mood.
Dolly Rebecca Parton is a world-famous singer, songwriter, and actress who helped shape American pop-culture during the ‘70s and ‘80s, and remains one of the most globally recognized musicians of all time. Parton released her debut album Hello, I’m Dolly in 1967, beginning a legendary career spanning nearly six decades.
Parton was a revolutionary contributor to the country-pop movement during the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, as well as the bluegrass genre throughout the ‘90s and early 2000s. She will forever be known as a cultural staple of American country music and pop culture as a whole.
What to Know About Dolly Parton?
- Who is Dolly?: Dolly Parton, born January 19, 1946, is a legendary singer, songwriter, and actress whose career spans nearly six decades, with iconic hits like “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You,” and “9 to 5.”
- Education: Parton graduated from Sevier County High School in Sevierville, Tennessee in 1964 and moved to Nashville the very next day to pursue her dream of becoming a professional musician.
- Legacy: A trailblazer in country, pop, and bluegrass music, Parton earned multiple Grammy Awards and reshaped the industry by successfully crossing genres while championing women in country music.
- Family: Parton was married to her husband, Carl Dean, for nearly 59 years until his passing in 2025. She often describes their marriage as a catalyst for her success.
- Outside Music: Beyond entertainment, Parton is a celebrated philanthropist and cultural icon, best known for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which has provided millions of books to children worldwide.
Where Did Dolly Parton Go to School?
Elementary/Middle School Education
Doll Parton attended elementary school at Catons Chapel Elementary School and middle school at Martin Middle School, both in Sevierville, Tennessee. She began developing her musical abilities during this time, singing on local radio and television programs in the East Tennessee area.
High School Education
Parton attended Sevier County High School from 1960 until her graduation in 1964. Parton moved to Nashville the day after her graduation to pursue her dream of being a famous singer and songwriter.
Dolly Parton: Then vs. Now
Peabody Awards, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Moeller Talent, Inc. Nashville (management), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Dolly Parton has always stunned audiences with her captivating energy and admirable southern charm. From the ‘60s to today, here’s how she looked from her teenage years all the way to today.
Dolly Parton’s Career: “Hello, I’m Dolly”
Early Career
Dolly Parton began recording music at a young age, releasing her first single called “Puppy Love” at the age of 13. She continued making music throughout her teenage years, eventually signing her first real record deal with Monument Records at age 19. She continued to release lesser-known singles throughout the early ‘60s, and eventually began to gain traction with her first country single “Dumb Blonde,” which reached number 24 on the Billboard country chart in 1967.
Dolly Parton became a regular on the Porter Wagoner show in 1967, and released her debut album, Hello, I’m Dolly, in the same year, which catapulted her into the spotlight. After becoming a regular on Wagoner’s show, he convinced his record label, RCA Victor, to sign Parton, and the two of them frequently collaborated on projects together, including a remake of Tom Paxton’s “The Last Thing on My Mind,” which reached the country Top 10 in January 1968, sparking an uninterrupted six-year streak of top 10 hits for the duo.
Household Name
Parton continued to release groundbreaking and industry altering hits throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s, establishing herself as a pioneer for women in country music. Some of her most popular hits throughout these decades were “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You,” and “Love is Like a Butterfly,” all of which were met with significant praise and reached number one on the country chart.
Parton has experimented with many genres throughout her career, transitioning to a more pop version of country in the ‘80s, and entering a bluegrass and folk period in the ‘90s, which continued through the mid-2000s. Her 1999 album, The Grass Is Blue, won the Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album, proving that Parton could achieve success across a variety of genres. Parton’s impressive musical diversity has established her as one of the most influential artists of all time.
Parton has also done some acting over the years, most notably starring in 9 to 5 (1980) alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982), both of which she received Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress.
Later Years and Work Outside of Music
Parton has continued to tour and release music throughout the 2010s and 2020s, impressing fans and critics alike with her longevity. In 2026, she will be embarking on a Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace, continuing her lengthy career.
Parton has been a key philanthropic figure since the mid-1980s. Her literacy program, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, has helped kids learn to read all over the world. The program, founded in honor of Parton’s late father, who never learned to read or write, mails one book per month to each child enrolled in the program from birth until they start kindergarten. Over 1,600 local communities and 850,000 children over five different countries currently participate in the program.
Parton has influenced so many incredible artists over the years, inspiring many to perform their own versions of her work. The most popular example of this is when Whitney Houston covered “I Will Always Love You” in 1992. Houston’s version was widely considered to be one of the greatest musical covers of all time, and brought about a great sense of nostalgia among fans of Dolly Parton, who were moved by Houston’s beautiful rendition of an all-time classic.
Who is Dolly Parton’s Family?
photo by Alan Light, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Southern Upbringing
Parton was born to Avie Lee Caroline and Robert Lee Parton Sr. in a two-room log cabin in rural Tennessee. Her father worked as a sharecropper and tobacco farmer, and her mother spent her time caring for her large family. Parton was one of 12 children, and has described her family growing up as being “dirt poor”.
Parton has five sisters and six brothers. Willadeene, Cassie, Stella, Freida, and Rachel were born in 1940, 1951, 1949, 1957, and 1959, respectively. Randy, Larry, Floyd, David, Coy, and Robert Lee Jr. were born in 1953, 1955, 1957, 1942, 1943, and 1948, respectively.
Loving Husband
Parton met her husband, Carl Dean, in Nashville shortly after moving there following her graduation from high school. They married two years later in Ringgold, Georgia in 1966. Carl generally remained out of the spotlight, but Parton has emphasized that he was a massive part of her life and success, stating that they are “really very proud of [their] marriage. It’s the first for both of [them]. And the last.” Carl Dean passed away in March of 2025 at the age of 82. Parton and Dean were married for nearly 59 years at the time of his death.
A Catalogue of Hits & Acting Roles
DominusVobiscum, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Dolly Parton has influenced so many throughout her illustrious career, whether it be her adoring fans, or other famous musical artists throughout a variety of genres. Parton defied the odds time and time again. Rather than working a “9 to 5,” she established herself as one of the greatest artists to ever live.
Her most memorable hits include:
- “I Will Always Love You”
- “Jolene”
- Coat of Many Colors”
- “9 to 5”
- “Here You Come Again”
- “The Bargain Store”
- “Touch Your Woman”
- “Old Flames Can’t Hold A Candle to You”
- “Love is Like a Butterfly”
- “Two Doors Down”
- “Tennesse Homesick Blues”
- “The Seeker”
- “Yellow Roses”
- “Sweet Summer Lovin’”
- “You’re The Only One”
Her impressive acting credits consist of:
- 9 to 5 (1980)
- The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982)
- Rhinestone (1984)
- Steel Magnolias (1989)
- Straight Talk (1992)
- Joyful Noise (2012)
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Sources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolly_Parton
- https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-dolly-parton-songs/i-will-always-love-you-2/
- https://www.trojanmessenger.com/21470/features/i-beg-your-parton
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