Parton, Dolly

Dolly Parton

Singer, songwriter

National Media Celebrity

Legend Continued

Selected discography

Sources

Legendary country-and-western singer/songwriter Dolly Parton is one of the few American country and western musicians to achieve international acclaim; in fact, her career is virtually unprecedented in music history. With twenty-two number one hit singles and ten gold and platinum albums to attest to her talent, Parton has moved far from her humble East Tennessee roots to become a cultural icon. She pursued entrepreneurial business and philanthropic endeavors and performed in numerous films and television shows. Although she began performing at the age of 12, her career began to blossom in 1967, and by 1999, she was known throughout the world as a premier country singer and American music/film media celebrity along the lines of Elvis, Madonna, and Cher. By 1999, Dolly Parton Enterprises became a $100 million media empire. Earlier, in 1986, her company opened a sprawling theme park, Dolly-wood, in Tennessee that celebrated her Smoky Mountain upbringing. Nominated for 70 music awards between 1968-99, she has won 34 of them. She was also nominated for an Oscar for composing the title song for the film 9 to 5 in 1980. Her ascent to fame, both impressive and unprecedented, has generated at least 16 books—one autobiography—as well as countless articles and numerous web sites.

Born Dolly Rebecca Parton in Servier, Tennesee, on January 19, 1947, she was the fourth child of twelve born to Robert Lee Parton and Bessie Elizabeth Rayfield. She was raised in Locust Ridge, only a few miles from Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, the area of the Smoky Mountain country where her theme park, Dollywood, is now located. Her 1971 autobiographical single, “Coat of Many Colors,” details her poverty as one of twelve children growing up on a run-down farm. Parton first began singing by joining the gospel choir in her grandfather’s church as a young child. In 1959, at the age of twelve, Parton had appeared on Knoxville television as a singer and by the age of thirteen she was recording on the small label Gold Band and appearing at the Grand Ole Opry. She released her debut album Puppy Lovein 1960 at the age of thirteen. After graduating from high school, Parton moved to Nashville to launch her career as a country-and-western singer. There she met Carl Thomas Dean, her future husband, at a laundromat. They married in Ringgold, Georgia on May 30, 1966.

National Media Celebrity

In 1967, Parton released Hello I’m Dolly on the Monument label, followed by Just Between You and Me with Porter Wagoner the following year on RCA/Victor. Wagoner had liked her 1967 single, “Dumb Blonde,” and hired Parton to appear on his television show, where

For the Record…

Born Dolly Rebecca Parton on January 19, 1947, in Servier, TN; fourth child of twelve; father, Robert Lee Parton; mother Bessie Elizabeth Rayfield; married Carl Thomas Dean on May 30, 1966; children: one daughter Virginia.

Began by joining the gospel choir in her grandfather’s church as a young child; appeared on Knoxville television as a singer by the age of 12; began appearing at the Grand Ole Opry at 13; released Puppy Love, Gold Band Records, 1960; moved to Nashville after graduating from high school; released Hello, I’m Dolly, 1967; released Just Between You and Me with Porter Wagoner the following year; appeared on Wagoner’s television show, where their duet performances became popular; released 21 albums between 1968-72; saw 22 number one hit singles; received ten gold and platinum albums between 1968-98; appeared frequently on television specials and talk shows in the late 1970s; made her film debut in 9 to 5, 1980 and received an Oscar nomination for composing the film’s title song; opened Dollywood, 1986; formed the Dollywood Broadcasting Company, 1990; composed Whitney Houston’s number one R&B single, “I Will Always Love You,” 1994.

Awards: Received five Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards; five American Music Awards (AMA); eight Country Music Association (CMA) awards;four Grammy Awards; ten Music City News (MCN) awards; two Nashville Songwriters Association, International (NASAI) awards;

Addresses: Home —Dolly Parton, Crockett Road, Route #1, Brentwood, TN 37027; Manager— Jim Morey, Morey & Associates, 245 North Maple Drive, Suite 300, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, (310) 278-0808; fax (310) 205-6199.

their duet performances became popular. She released an astounding 21 albums between 1968-72. When her Joshua album reached number one in 1970. Parton’s fame soon overshadowed Wagoner’s. Although she continued to release albums with Wagoner periodically over the course of her long career, she struck out on her own as a solo recording artist and songwriter in 1974. By 1974, she had released 28 albums and had won seven music awards, one of them—a Music City News Award (MCN) in 1968—for Most Promising Female Artist. The Country Music Association (CMA) nominated her as Female Vocalist of the Year every year between 1968-72, and again from 1974-79.

Parton appeared frequently on television specials and talk shows in the late 1970s, which further fueled public interest in her celebrity. Her cheerful disposition, good looks, flamboyant conversational and dress style, and winning smile endeared her to millions of viewers and her immense country music vocal/songwriting talent endeared her to millions of listeners. She made her film debut in 1980 in 9 to 5, co-starring with Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. Two years later, in 1982, she appeared in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and, in 1984, she starred with Sylvester Stallone in Rhinestone, a film in which the two sang a duet. The single “Tennessee Homesick Blues” from the film earned Parton another Grammy nomination.

Parton released The Best of Dolly Partonin 1975, which went RIAA Gold in August of 1978, and released Here You Come Again in 1977, which successfully blended country with pop and dance music, and crossed most musical lines. Here You Come Again was Parton’s second gold album. It went platinum in April of 1978. Her third gold album, Great Balls of Fire, was released in 1979. She released her fourth gold album, Dolly Parton’s Greatest Hits, in 1982 and this album also went platinum. The next album to reach gold status was 1984’s Once Upon A Christmas, which also went platinum. 1987’s Trio went gold and platinum; 1989’s White Limozeen went gold; 1991’s Eagle When She Flies reached gold and platinum status, as did 1993’s Slow Dancing with the Moon. Her last release to reach gold and/or platinum status was Dolly Parton: Her Greatest Hits in 1998. Where many musicians are hard-pressed to attain even an eighth of her musical output, Parton managed to released 87 albums between 1960-98.

Legend Continued

Parton continued to garner awards after her first nomination in 1968, and was nominated for awards almost yearly up until 1997. She collaborated with numerous other musicians other than Porter Wagoner over the years including, Kitty Wells in 1980 for Dolly Parton and Kitty Wells, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, and Brenda Lee in 1982 for Kris, Willie, Dolly and Brenda: The Winning Hand, Kenny Rogers in 1984 for Once Upon a Christmas, Linda Rondstadt and Emmylou Harris in 1987 for Trio, Billy Ray Cyrus, Tanya Tucker, Kathy Mattea, Mary Chapin-Carpenter, and Pam Tillis in1993 for Romeo, Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette in 1994 for Honky Tonk Angels. Honkey Tonk Angels. Honky Tonk Angels also garnered a Country Music Award (CMA) Vocal Event of the Year nomination.

Parton began the new year in 1999 with the January release of Dolly Parton. She also opened the addition of the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Museum at Dollywood. The museum was a fitting addition to her theme park, considering that Parton’s grandfather was a preacher and she first starting her singing career in his church.

Parton, a devoted philanthropist, used the 20 dollar annual membership dues for her extensive Dollywood Ambassador Fan Club to support education in Tennessee. In 1997, she dismantled her own fan club after some members complained that she didn’t perform often enough for them at Dollywood. She even sent membership dues back to all of her fans. Her reasoning behind this was that she felt many of her fans weren’t interested in supporting her charitable pursuits and, instead, were merely supporting her fan club. She requested that her fans send money directly to Dollywood Foundation projects. It’s this spirit of giving and caring that has characterized both Parton’s professional and private life. Her endless stream of material and awards over the years reveals how gifted and prolific she is. Her ability to build and maintain a multimillion dollar empire within the short span of one lifetime— starting with nothing but the basics and musical ability—renders Parton nothing less than legendary.

Selected discography

Puppy Love, Gold Band, 1960.

Hello, I’m Dolly, Monument, 1967.

Just Between You and Me (with Porter Wagoner), RCA Victor, 1968.

Just Because I’m A Woman, RCA Victor, 1968.

Just The Two of Us (with Porter Wagoner), RCA Victor, 1968.

In the Good Old Days When Times Were Bad, RCA Victor, 1969.

My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy, RCA Victor, 1969.

The Fairest of Them All, RCA Victor, 1970.

Porter Wayne and Dolly Rebecca, RCA Victor, 1970.

As Long As I Live, Monument, 1970.

A Real Live Dolly, RCA Victor, 1970.

Once More (with Porter Wagoner), RCA Victor, 1970.

The Best of Dolly Parton, RCA Victor, 1970.

Golden Streets of Glory, RCA Victor, 1971.

Two of A Kind, RCA Victor, 1971.

Joshua, RCA Victor, 1971.

Coat of Many Colors, RCA Victor, 1971.

The World of Dolly Parton, Monument, 1972.

Touch Your Woman, RCA Victor, 1972.

Together Always (with Porter Wagoner), RCA Victor, 1972.

Just The Way I Am, RCA Camden, 1972.

My Tennessee Mountain Home, RCA Victor, 1973.

Love And Music (with Porter Wagoner), RCA Victor, 1973.

Bubbling Over, RCA Victor, 1973.

Mine, RCA Camden, 1973.

Jolene, RCA Victor, 1974.

Porter ‘n’ Dolly, RCA Victor, 1974.

Love is Like a Butterfly, RCA Victor, 1974.

The Bargain Store, RCA Victor, 1975.

Best of Dolly Parton, RCA Victor, 1975.

Dolly: The Seeker & We Used To, RCA Victor, 1975.

All I Can Do, RCA Victor, 1976.

New Harvest—First Gathering, RCA Victor, 1977.

Here You Come Again, RCA Victor, 1977.

Heartbreaker, RCA Victor, 1978.

Great Balls of Fire, RCA Victor, 1979.

Dolly Parton and Kitty Wells, Exact, 1980.

Dolly, Dolly, Dolly, RCA Victor, 1980.

Sweet Harmony: Porter and Dolly, RCA Victor, 1980.

9 to 5 (and Odd Jobs), RCA Victor, 1981.

Heartbreak Express, RCA Victor, 1982.

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, MCA Records, 1982.

Dolly Parton’s Greatest Hits, RCA Victor, 1982.

Kris, Willie, Dolly & Brenda: The Winning Hand, (with Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, and Brenda Lee) RCA Victor, 1982.

Burlap and Satin, RCA Victor, 1983.

Songbook, Exact, 1984.

The Great Pretender, RCA Victor, 1984.

Rhinestone, RCA Victor, 1984.

Once Upon a Christmas (with Kenny Rogers), RCA Victor, 1984.

Portrait, RCA Victor, 1985.

Real Love, RCA Victor, 1985.

Dolly Parton (Collector’s Series), RCA Victor, 1985.

Think About Love, RCA Victor, 1986.

The Best There Is, RCA Victor, 1987.

The Best of Dolly Parton, Volume 3, RCA Victor, 1987.

Trio (with Linda Rondstadt and Emmylou Harris), Warner Brothers, 1987.

Rainbow, CBS Records, 1987.

White Limozeen, CBS Records, 1989.

Best of Dolly Parton, RCA Victor, 1990.

Home for Christmas, CBS Records, 1990.

Eagle When She Flies, Sony (CBS), 1991.

Straight Talk, Hollywood, 1992.

Slow Dancing with the Moon, Columbia, 1993.

Heartsongs: Live from Home, Columbia, 1994.

Honky Tonk Angels, (with Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette), Columbia, 1994.

Something Special, Columbia, 1995.

The Essential Dolly Partorn, RCA Victor, 1995.

I Will Always Love You and Other Greatest Hits, Columbia, 1996.

Treasures, Rising Tide, 1996.

Peace Train (CD Single), Flipit, 1997.

I Believe, BMG Special Projects, 1997.

Here You Come Again (from 1977), DCC Records, 1998.

Honky Tonk Songs (CD Single), UNI/DECCA, 1998.

Hungry Again, UNI/DECCA, 1998.

Trio 11 (with Linda Rondstadt and Emmylou Harris), Asylum, 1998.

Dolly Parton, BMG Special Projects, 1999.

Sources

Books

Amdur, Richard, Dolly Close Up/Up Close, Putnum, 1983.

Berman, Connie, The Official Dolly Parton Scrapbook, Grosset and Dunlap, 1978.

Bufwack, Mary A. and Oermann Robert K., Finding Her Voice: The Illustrated History of Women in Country Music, Henry Holt & Company, 1993.

Fleischer, Leonore, Dolly: Here I Come Again, Zebra Books, 1978.

James, Otis, Dolly Parton: A Personal Portrait, Quick Fox, 1978.

Krishef, Robert, Dolly Parton, Lerner Publications Company, 1980.

Nash, Alanna, Behind Closed Doors: Talking with the Legends of Country Music, Alfred A. Knopf, 1988.

Parton, Dolly, Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business, Harper Collins, 1994.

Parton, Willadeene, In the Shadow of a Song: The Story of the Parton Family, Bantam Books, 1985.

Saunders, Susan, Dolly Parton: Goin’to Town, Viking, 1985.

Online

http://bestware.net/spreng/dolly/index.html

http://decca-nashville.com/dollyparton

http://www.dolly.net

http://estanley.simplenet.com/dolly/links/html

http.//expressnet.lycos.com/entertainment/celebrities/celebs/Parton.html

http://www.flip.it.records.com

http://members.aol.com/dlyboy/index.html

http://personal.cfw.com/~herlanh/97timmy/97timmy1.html

http://smokykin.com/

—B. Kimberly Taylor