Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton, in full Dolly Rebecca Parton, (born January 19, 1946, Locust Ridge, Tenessee U.S.), American Country music singer, guitarist, and actress best known for pioneering the interface between country and pop music styles

Dolly PartonIn Nashville Parton became the protégée of country music singer and Grand OLe Oprystar Porter Wagoner. Through repeated appearances on Wagoner’s syndicated television show, Parton gained coast-to-coast recognition. She soon attracted the attention of the music industry moguls at RCA Records and subsequently recorded more than a dozen hit songs—together with Wagoner—on the RCA label. Owing much to her association with Wagoner, Parton rapidly emerged as one of country music’s most popular singers.

In 1974 Parton discontinued her work with Wagoner to launch a solo career, in which she enjoyed immediate success: in both 1975 and ’76 she was chosen female singer of the year by the Country Music Association (CMA) on the strength of such songs as “Jolene” and “Love Is Like a Butterfly” (both 1974). About the same time, Parton began to cross over to the pop music market, and in 1978 she won a Grammy Awards for her song“Here You Come Again” and was named entertainer of the year by the CMA. As her career developed, Parton received more Grammys, both for her songs, including “9 to 5” (1980) and “Shine” (2001), and for her albums, including Trio (1987; with Linda Ronstads and Emmylou Harris) and The Grass Is Blue (1999). Parton was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999, and she continued to release hit albums, including Blue Smoke (2014) and Pure & Simple (2016). She later released an album for children, I Believe in You (2017). In 2022 Parton was selected for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Although she had earlier asked to be removed from consideration—she did not believe she had “earned the right,” because she was not a rock performer—she accepted the honour.