Country music icon Dolly Parton added yet another massive award to what must be a room full of them — actually, two.
Parton was presented with two Guinness World Records simultaneously, in light of her 60 years worth of service to the music industry. She achieved "Most decades with a Top 20 hit on the US Hot Country Songs chart" (six) and "Most hits on the US Hot Country Songs chart by a female artist" (a whopping 107).
In an interview, Parton assured Guinness that the two accolades were still super special to her, even with everything else she's achieved throughout her career.
Parton has, among other things, joined the Grand Ole Opry, is in the Country Music Hall of Fame, has been honored by the Kennedy Center and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. She created Dollywood Theme Park in her image, as well as being a mother, wife, and a godmother to one Miley Cyrus, whose own return to country music was surely influenced by Parton.
When asked how it feels to set two records simultaneously, Parton said simply that it "feels good." She also described being "humbled" and "blessed" by the certification.
Parton discussed her favorite song, s a toss-up between "I Will Always Love You," which she loves to perform, and "Coat Of Many Colors," whose message speaks to her more profoundly. On songwriting in general, Parton told Guinness that "when an idea hits me, it comes from my heart."
Parton hasn't ruled out setting a third record, either, with her career far from over. Considering she's a multi-hyphenate, her work taking in acting (with a bunch of take-notice film roles to her name), singing (over 3,000 compositions to date), philanthropy (she's a smart and dedicated businesswoman), and charity work (her Dollywood Foundation book charity), it's not hard to imagine she will.
The 71-year-old Tennessee native is the only artist with Top 20 hits across six consecutive decades, starting with "Something Fishy" in 1967. She has 74 Top 20 hits to her name to date, her most recent being an updated version of "Jolene." The new take on her hit song from 1974, which featured Pentatonix and debuted at #18 back in 2016, became Parton's 107th chart entry.
Cyrus also does her own, popular take on "Jolene," while her godmother has duetted with everybody, from Queen Latifah to Norah Jones, Willie Nelson, and, of course, Kenny Rogers, with whom she had one of her biggest hits in "Islands In The Stream."
Parton's incredible, record-setting streak began all the way back in 1967 with debut "Dumb Blonde."
