Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton was born in Sevier County, Tennessee, to a tobacco farmer and his wife. Throughout her life and career, Parton rose to be the most honored female country performer of all time. She had more than 40 career top 10 country albums and won numerous Grammys, American Music Awards and Country Music Association Awards, amongst others.

Some of her many chart-toppers include “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You,” famously covered by the late Whitney Houston for the 1992 soundtrack of The Bodyguard; Houston’s version cemented the ballad as one of the most popular (and heartbreaking) singles of all time. Parton also brought her southern sass to numerous films, such as 9 to 5 (1980), The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas (1982) and Steel Magnolias (1989).

The country legend was also the cofounder of The Dollywood Company in Tennessee, which operates the theme park Dollywood, a dinner theater, Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede and the waterpark Dollywood’s Splash Country.

Parton married Carl Thomas Dean in 1966. He died at the age of 82 in 2025. Although they didn’t have any children of their own, Parton was the godmother of another superstar, Miley Cyrus.

Parton died on August 26, 2026, at age 80.