Born in 1946 in a one-room cabin on a run-down farm in Locust Ridge, Tenn., Dolly Parton was the fourth of 12 children born to Pentacostal, dirt-poor tobacco farmers.
Raised on the music of the church and by a mother from a musical family (Uncle Bill Owens gave her her first guitar), Parton began singing professionally at 10, made her first television debut at 12, and appeared at the Grand Ole Opry at 13.
Working with Porter Wagoner rocketed her to fame, and the self-proclaimed “Backwoods Barbie” now has a number of Grammy awards, starred in the hit films 9 to 5, Steel Magnolias, and Joyful Noise, was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and has her very own theme park and dinner show.
