Dolly Parton

Born in Sevierville, Tenn., as the fourth of 12 children living in a one-room cabin, Dolly Parton learned of her musical abilities at an early age. The now-country icon began performing all over Eastern Tennessee while she was still a child; in 1964, at the age of 18 -- just one day after graduating from high school -- Parton moved to Nashville. In Music City, the artist signed to Combine Publishing House and Monument Records and quickly found success as a songwriter, penning hits such as Bill Phillips' "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" and Skeeter Davis' "Fuel to the Flame," among others. In 1967, Parton released her debut album, 'Hello, I'm Dolly', and became a part of both Porter Wagoner's weekly TV show and touring show. She remained with Wagoner until 1974, when she left to work on her solo career; in response to their "breakup" and Wagoner's reported animosity toward her decision, Parton penned her hit single "I Will Always Love You." The singer found success at radio, but it wasn't until her seventh album, 1971's 'Joshua', that Parton scored her first No. 1 hit, the disc's title track. She has gone on to become one of the most successful artists of any genre, selling more than 100 million albums worldwide. In addition to her music career, Parton is also a successful actress ('9 to 5' and 'Steel Magnolias', among others), runs her Imagination Library and, since 1986, has owned the Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

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