Dolly Parton
One of the most iconic figures in country music, Dolly Parton distinguished herself as a singer, songwriter, and all-around entertainer, ultimately transcending the confines of country to become a celebrity whose sphere was bigger than any single genre. Born on January 19, 1946 in Sevierville, Tennessee, Parton grew up literally dirt poor, living in a one-room cabin in the Tennessee mountains with her mother, sharecropper father, and 11 siblings. The performing bug bit Parton early, and she began singing professionally while still a child, appearing on local radio and TV programs. In 1964 she relocated to Nashville to pursue songwriting. Parton ended up writing for several successful country artists, including Skeeter Davis, Kitty Wells, and Hank Williams, Jr. Country star Porter Wagoner drafted Parton to replace his departing partner Norma Jean on his weekly TV show in 1967. That same year, she and Wagoner began recording as a duo. Their partnership was successful from the start, yielding a long string of hits. But though Parton had been recording as a solo artist since before working with Wagoner, releasing her debut album, Hello, I'm Dolly, in '67, her own efforts were consistently overshadowed and outsold by the duo's output. She quit the show in '73 to concentrate on her solo career, though they made a couple more records together. Parton kicked into high gear immediately with a long string of chart-topping singles, including 1974's "I Will Always Love You," which would become even bigger in 1992 when Whitney Houston's version became one of the top-selling singles of all time. Parton scored a truckload of big hits throughout the '70s and '80s, and with her flamboyant image and sassy, self-possessed attitude, she became a mainstream celebrity, crossing over to the pop market beginning with 1977's "Here You Come Again." She hosted her own TV variety series in 1976, and starting with 1980's hit film "9 to 5," she began a successful movie acting career that included hits like "Steel Magnolias" (1989) and "Dumlin'" (2018) as well as high-profile flops like "The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas" (1982) and "Rhinestone" (1984). In the late '80s she had a sideline working in a trio with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris, with great critical and commercial success. Starting in the late '90s she reached back to her roots, releasing a series of bluegrass albums. As gifted a businesswoman as she is an artist, Parton established multiple enterprises outside her music career, including her Dollywood theme park and several others. Over the course of her career, she was been honored by the Golden Globes, The Grammys, and just about every other awards organization, becoming one of country's most widely celebrated artists ever.
Photos
Dolly Parton
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Jimmy Fallon's Holiday Seasoning Spectacular | Self | - | 2024 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Dolly Parton's Pet Gala |
Self, Executive Producer |
- | 2024 |
100% | No Score Yet | Linda Perry: Let It Die Here | Self | - | 2024 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Dolly Parton: Big Hair, Bigger Heart | Self | - | 2024 |
100% |
|
June | Self | - | 2023 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Dolly Parton ROCKSTAR: The Global First Listen Event |
Self, Producer |
- | 2023 |
No Score Yet |
|
Dolly Parton's Mountain Magic Christmas |
Self, Executive Producer |
- | 2022 |
93% | No Score Yet | Still Working 9 to 5 | Self | - | 2022 |
No Score Yet |
|
Dolly Parton: A MusiCares Tribute | Unknown (Character) | - | 2021 |
66% |
|
Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square |
Angel (Character), Executive Producer, Original Music |
- | 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Library That Dolly Built | Self | - | 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Christmas at Dollywood | Self | - | 2019 |
89% |
|
Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice | Self | $4.3M | 2019 |
57% |
|
Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love |
The Painted Lady (Character), Executive Producer |
- | 2016 |
78% |
|
Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors | Executive Producer | - | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | A Country Christmas Story | Self | - | 2013 |
90% |
|
Inequality for All | Doralee Rhodes (Character) | $1.2M | 2013 |
32% |
|
Joyful Noise | G.G. Sparrow (Character) | $30.9M | 2012 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Ann Richards' Texas | Unknown (Character) | - | 2012 |
55% |
|
Gnomeo & Juliet | Dolly (Voice) | - | 2011 |
16% |
|
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous | Self | $48.5M | 2005 |
No Score Yet |
|
Frank McKlusky, C.I. | Edith McKlusky (Character) | - | 2002 |
No Score Yet |
|
Jackie's Back! | Self | - | 1999 |
No Score Yet |
|
Blue Valley Songbird |
Leanna Taylor (Character), Executive Producer |
- | 1999 |
No Score Yet |
|
Unlikely Angel |
Ruby Diamond (Character), Executive Producer |
- | 1996 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Big Dreams & Broken Hearts: The Dottie West Story | Self | - | 1995 |
25% |
|
The Beverly Hillbillies | Self | $42.2M | 1993 |
46% |
|
Straight Talk |
Shirlee Kenyon (Character), Original Music |
$20.1M | 1992 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Wild Texas Wind | Thiola "Big T" Rayfield (Character) | - | 1991 |
73% |
|
Steel Magnolias | Truvy Jones (Character) | $79.4M | 1989 |
No Score Yet |
|
A Smoky Mountain Christmas | Lorna Davis (Character) | - | 1986 |
19% |
|
Rhinestone | Jake (Character) | - | 1984 |
50% |
|
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas | Mona Stangley (Character) | - | 1982 |
69% |
|
9 to 5 | Doralee Rhodes (Character) | - | 1980 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Get Me to the Stage on Time | Self | - |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | 12% | The View | Guest | 2017 2019 2023-2024 |
No Score Yet | 28% | The Drew Barrymore Show | Guest | 2023 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Rachael Ray | Guest | 2022-2023 |
No Score Yet | 55% | The Kelly Clarkson Show |
Music Performer, Guest |
2022 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Superstar | Self | 2022 |
No Score Yet | 44% | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon |
Music Performer, Guest |
2014 2016 2018-2019 2021-2022 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen | Guest | 2021 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Graham Norton Show | Guest | 2020-2021 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Beyond the CANVAS | Guest | 2021 |
No Score Yet | 50% | The Late Show With Stephen Colbert | Guest | 2020 |
57% | 94% | Dolly Parton's Heartstrings |
Herself/ Executive Producer, Self |
2019 |
No Score Yet | 61% | Late Night With Seth Meyers | Guest | 2019 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Brian Johnson's A Life on the Road | Guest | 2019 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Talk |
Music Performer, Guest |
2014-2016 2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Ellen DeGeneres Show | Music Performer | 2018 |
No Score Yet | 18% | The Late Late Show With James Corden | Guest | 2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Harry | Guest | 2017 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Dr. Oz Show | Guest | 2017 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Chew | Guest | 2017 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | American Pickers | Self | 2014 2017 |
No Score Yet | 58% | The Voice | Music Performer | 2015-2016 |
No Score Yet | 42% | Jimmy Kimmel Live! |
Music Performer, Guest |
2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | FABLife | Guest | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | CMT: Hot 20 Countdown | Unknown (Character) | 2014 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Wendy Williams Show | Guest | 2010 2014 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Colbert Report | Guest | 2012 |
No Score Yet | 40% | The Bachelorette | Music Performer | 2012 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Revolution | Guest | 2012 |
No Score Yet | 88% | Hannah Montana | Aunt Dolly (Guest Star) | 2006-2007 2010 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Nate Berkus Show | Guest | 2010 |
31% | No Score Yet | The Jay Leno Show | Guest | 2009 |
No Score Yet | 54% | American Idol | Guest | 2008 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Daily Show | Guest | 2005 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Reba | Dolly Majors (Guest Star) | 2005 |
62% | No Score Yet | Bette | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2000 |
85% | 76% | The Simpsons | Herself (Guest Voice) | 1999 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Naomi & Wynonna: Love Can Build a Bridge | Self | 1995 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Designing Women | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1990 |
No Score Yet | 57% | Saturday Night Live | Host | 1989 |