Happy birthday, Dolly Parton! In honor of the country legend's special day, let's take a look at her success as a musician, her net worth, her businesses, and her long marriage to her husband Carl Dean.
Born Dolly Rebecca Parton on January 19, 1946, in Pittman Center, Tennessee, the musician is now 78 years old! She had a big family growing up as she was the fourth of 12 children to her parents Avie Lee Caroline and Robert Lee Parton Sr.
Throughout her career, Dolly Parton credits her talent in singing from her mother who managed to keep her and her siblings entertained. On the other hand, she credits her father for her ability to be business-minded.
The musician's life wasn't always full of glitz and glamor as she described her childhood being "dirt poor."
She started singing at a young age through local radio and TV shows in Tennessee. Her first song "Puppy Love" was released when she was only 13 years old.
Dolly Parton Career, Net Worth 2024
The singer moved to Nashville, Tennessee, after graduating high school, to look for better opportunities, especially in the field of music. Fortunately, she immediately signed under a record label after her arrival.
Regardless of the negative comments she received early on in her career, she didn't hold back and kept on working, as she told CNBC: "Even in the early days, a lot of people told me I should change my look or nobody's going to ever take me serious... I thought, 'Yeah, they will, when they see [the talent] I've got.'"
The rest was history for her as she became one of the most regarded personalities in country music.
READ ALSO: Dolly Parton Finally Reveals Why She Sends Faxes Instead of Text Messages in the Modern Age
As of 2024, Dolly Parton already released 49 studio albums, including her latest one titled "Rockstar" which featured rock covers. It was released in 2023.
Aside from being a successful musician, Parton is also a businesswoman as she has products, books, and a theme park called Dollywood.
As of 2024, the singer has an estimated net worth of a whopping $650 million.
Dolly Parton's Secret to Long Marriage
According to Today, Dolly Parton and her husband Carl Dean have been married for over 56 years, and she revealed in an interview with Entertainment Tonight what's her secret to keeping her relationship that long.
It appears that there is no secret at all, but rather, it's all about their chemistry as she said: "I think I've talked pretty much about everything through the years with Carl, and we're different people... But we just work so well together."
The couple first met decades ago at a laundromat when Parton had just moved to Nashville. They got married in a simple ceremony in 1966.
Even though the singer is very popular and always in the public eye, her husband is completely different as he likes to remain private.
"He loves living on the farm, taking care of the property as he has for all these many years, and then, we just have a lot to talk about," she explained.
READ MORE: Dolly Parton Praised for Great Vocals and Outfit During Thanksgiving Day Performance - Watch
