Few musicians have achieved Dolly Parton’s level of cult popularity. Despite having spent essentially her entire life performing and singing, the Tennessee native has grown into nothing short of a legend and still enjoys delighting her throngs of adoring admirers.
Dolly Parton has always been renowned for her stunning theatrical attire and heavy makeup. She has already explained why she is never actually seen in public without her audience.
Fortunately, after some research, we discovered some images of her without as much makeup. And boy do they demonstrate how naturally beautiful she is.
Here is everything you need to know about Dolly Parton, the amazing country singer!
On January 19, 1946, Dolly Parton was conceived in Locust Ridge, Tennessee. She was one of 12 kids raised in a fairly impoverished household in Locust Ridge, close to the Great Smoky Mountains. As one might expect, money was a concern.
But music started to strengthen her family’s closeness. Parton gained more musical knowledge through performing in church as a young child. Her mother sang and played the guitar.
Parton remarked, “Music was such a big part of our whole family. “Everyone in my mother’s family was musical. They were all musicians of some sort. Naturally, I took music very seriously and was constantly playing along on whoever’s instrument was lying around or whenever my relatives would visit. But I’ve always been a guitar fan.
Dolly finally received a guitar from her uncle. Soon after, she began to produce her own music.
She had already performed on several local Knoxville, Tennessee television and radio stations by the age of 10. Then, at the age of 13, she made her radio debut on Grand Ole Opry, a major country radio station, earning around $20 a week.
For the Partons, music and family go hand in hand. In actuality, her relatives were the ones that encouraged her to advance in her musical career.
She stated, “I had two uncles who played: Uncle Lewis, who was also a terrific guitar player, and Uncle Bill, who helped me get into the profession. “When he realized how serious I was about my music and that I adored his tiny Martin guitar, he handed it to me. It was a treasure to me.
Parton was the first person in her family to complete high school and receive a diploma. But in 1964, when she was 18 years old, she made the decision to devote herself totally to her singing career. Dolly then departed for Nashville, the center of the country music industry.
I dreamed,” she claimed. “And I believed I had a skill. And I had a lot of faith that it would occur.
Dolly rose swiftly to fame in Nashville. On The Porter Wagoner Show, she collaborated with Porter Wagoner, and the pair quickly rose to fame. Parton and Wagoner collaborated on a number of country successes, and she soon signed a deal with RCA Records. Joshua, Parton’s first No. 1 country single from 1971, was followed by a string of other singles. Jolene was, of course, one of them.
In the late 1960s, following each appearance on television, Parton would regularly sign autographs for the viewers.
Parton remembered, “One night, I was on stage, and there was this gorgeous little girl; she was about 8 at the time.
She was looking up at me and holding up something for an autograph. She had gorgeous red hair, gorgeous skin, and gorgeous green eyes. You’re the cutest little creature I’ve ever seen, I said. What is your name then? And she uttered “Jolene.” Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, I cried. That’s lovely. That has a song-like quality. About it, I’m going to write a song.
The bank teller who showed Parton’s new husband some interest served as the source of the song’s lyrics.
Parton claimed, “She developed a tremendous infatuation on my husband.” And because she gave him so much attention, he simply enjoyed going to the bank. I used to say, “Hell, you’re spending a lot of time at the bank,” as a running joke between us. I don’t think we have that much money. Thus, although sounding terrible, the song is actually quite benign.
There are only 200 words in the song Jolene. But it ended up being one of the 20th century’s biggest hits. The song, performed by Dolly Parton, peaked at No. 1 on the charts and received two Grammy nominations for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, both studio and live versions.
Additionally, Jolene was listed as No. 217 on the 2004 list of “the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” by Rolling Stone magazine.
Dolly won numerous awards and rose to fame all around the world with songs like I, Will Always Love You, a homage to Wagoner and their working relationship, The Seeker, Love Is Like a Butterfly, and All I Can Do.
Here You Come Again helped her win her first Grammy in 1977, and more songs soon followed.
Dolly expanded her popularity in the 1980s by entering the film business.
She co-starred with Jane Fonda in the 1980 comedy hit 9 to 5 and provided music for the film’s soundtrack. She continued to make appearances in movies after that, and in 1986 she even launched Dollywood, an amusement park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
Dolly asserts to have produced over 3,000 songs throughout her lifetime. She also won an astounding eight Grammy Awards, 25 times at the top of the country chart, and sold over 100 million CDs. And she doesn’t appear to be slowing down.
Parton stated in 2016: “Almost every day I come up with a few song titles or a lovely melody.”
“In some respects, I’m 16. I’m still a romantic at heart. In contrast, my spirit and mind are both 35. When I was 35, my life was at its best; I was successful, happy, and everything else. Consequently, I made the decision that “I’m going to claim that number and always be that in my state of mind.”
Dolly has made the world her home with her renowned music, songwriting, and captivating live shows, but she met her true love more than 55 years ago.
In Nashville, Tennessee, in 1964, Dolly and Carl Dean met in front of the Wishy Washy Laundromat. Dolly was 18 years old and Carl was 21 years old at the time. Carl noticed something special about the young woman right away.
When they first met, Dean recalled, “I’m going to marry that girl,” according to a statement.
“Lord she’s good looking, was my second thought. And that marked the start of my existence. In this world, I wouldn’t exchange the past 50 years for anything.
In a 1976 interview with the New York Times, Dolly recalled that Dean “holled” at her when he was sitting in his pickup truck when he saw her. She, however, turned down his offer of a date. Instead, a few days later when she was watching her nephew, she invited him over. It was the beginning of a love story that would last forever.
Dolly and Carl exchanged vows in a secret ceremony in Ringgold, Georgia, in May 1966. Her record company advised them to postpone their nuptials because she had a job to consider. But Dean and Dolly didn’t want to wait, so they made the decision to get married in Georgia rather than Tennessee so that no one would write about it there. Dolly, Carl, and her mother were the only people present.
Dolly and Carl have been profoundly in love ever since. The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2016. They chose to renew their vows as a way to celebrate.
But during award presentations or charity functions, Carl Dean never makes an appearance with his wife on the red carpet.
When his wife won her first songwriting award at age 20, he once did it. However, that was it.
I don’t even remember what we were driving at the time, but after dinner, we walked back outside, and they brought us our car, and we got in it and drove home, Parton recounted.
“Dolly, I want you to have everything you want, and I’m pleased for you, but don’t you ever ask me to go to another one of those dang things again,” Carl remarked as he turned to face me.
Dolly has spent her entire life in show business, so having her one true love’s support has been beneficial. They may do whatever they want these days, and we honestly think they deserve it all.
However, Carl and Dolly made the decision not to have children. Why? Well, it was just a bad fit.
Dolly and plastic surgery-related rumors have been debated over the years. The 76-year-old, however, is not reluctant to discuss it openly. Plastic surgery questions have never been avoided by Parton. Regardless of what others may believe, she has instead been open and honest about the processes she has followed.
Dolly promises to always be honest when people inquire about her cosmetic operations.
In an interview with Larry King, Dolly disclosed that in addition to other treatments, she had a facelift, lip injections, eye surgery, liposuction, lip implants, and breast augmentation.
“I have to be honest about it because I don’t want to lie about it because sometimes it might help. I mean, I look so completely manufactured, but hopefully I’m totally real, too,” Parton added.
In regards to her plastic surgery, she continued, “I try to find the greatest doctor, and I don’t do it that often.”
I don’t want to make a large, drastic change, so I actually do it in little bits and pieces. Because I don’t want to appear like, you know, tighter than a banjo head, I’ve never had just the huge thing done.
Dolly is always dressed to the nines, whether she is performing, strolling the red carpet, or just out shopping. So you can always bet on seeing the iconic country singer dressed to the nines.
However, very few people have ever seen her without makeup.
Why is that, then? Dolly had a solid reason for that, I guess.
“I must always be prepared”
Parton said she loves to be “street ready” in an interview with RuPaul for Marie Claire in 2020. For emergencies, that entails getting her hair and makeup done.
The rural queen declared, “I must constantly be prepared—street-ready. “I have to keep my hair done and my makeup on.”
If there is an earthquake, Parton continued, “I’m not running out in the street looking like you do right now.” If I get sick or something, I have to always be prepared to call an ambulance.
Dolly Parton admitted that, while always wanting to look polished with her hair and makeup, she has no trouble embracing her natural side.
“I feel at ease in my own skin. I dress more for myself than I do for other people because I feel confident in my appearance, Parton stated.
