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Dolly Parton, the country music legend, is an iconic figure whose influence is felt around the world. From her chart-topping songs like "9 to 5", "Jolene", and "I Will Always Love You", to her creation of Dollywood, a famous theme park, and her film appearances, including iconic roles in 9 to 5 (1980) and Steel Magnolias (1989), Parton has become a household name.
But there's more to Dolly than just music and film. Few are aware that she also collaborated with James Patterson to co-write the thriller novel Run, Rose, Run (2022) and created a line of pet clothing called Doggy Parton. In this spirit, here are 10 lesser-known facts about Dolly Parton.
10. Dolly Inspired Her Iconic Look by a ‘Town Tramp’
Dolly Parton is just as famous for her bold fashion as she is for her music. Her signature extravagant style was actually inspired by a woman she remembered from her childhood. Known for her big hair, heavy makeup, and high heels, this woman was referred to as the “town tramp.” Parton shared with Wired, “I thought she was so beautiful. And everybody used to say, ‘Oh, she ain’t nothin’ but trash.’” Undeterred by the judgment of others, even as a young girl, Parton boldly declared, “Well, that’s what I’m gonna be when I grow up—trash!”
Parton once said she’s “not a natural beauty,” but has always aspired to be glamorous and eye-catching. When confronted with the idea that less is more, she responds, “No, less is less, more is more, and more is good for me.”
9. Parton has kept her marriage private, which has fueled speculation about her romantic life.
Parton has been happily married to Carl Thomas Dean since 1966, but his desire to stay out of the public spotlight has sparked a bizarre theory that he doesn’t even exist. As Parton explained to *Entertainment Tonight*, “A lot of people have thought that through the years because he does not want to be in the spotlight at all. It’s just not who he is. He’s like, a quiet, reserved person.”
Rumors about Parton’s love life don't stop with an imaginary husband. In the early '80s, she was said to have had an “affair of the heart,” which nearly led to her taking her own life. There were whispers that this affair might have been with her bandleader, Gregg Perry, but the truth remains unclear.
Another rumor that has spread is that Parton is secretly gay and in a romantic relationship with her lifelong best friend, Judy Ogle. Parton has firmly denied this, saying, “So people say that—because you can’t really have a great relationship with a woman. I’m not gay, but I have so many gay friends, and I accept everybody for who they are.”
9. Parton is Miley Cyrus’s godmother.
Billy Ray Cyrus often credits Dolly Parton for the success of his music career, saying, “I probably wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing without her. Keep in mind, she was there in 1992 when I went from living in my Chevy Beretta to recording my first album. Pretty soon after that, I was opening her shows!”
The two developed a strong bond over time, and Cyrus even asked Parton to become the godmother to his daughter, Miley (whose birth name was Destiny Hope). Miley calls Parton “Aunt Dolly,” while Parton fondly refers to herself as Cyrus’s “Fairy Godmother.” Parton also made a guest appearance as Aunt Dolly on Cyrus’s show, *Hannah Montana*.
7. Parton once entered a Dolly Parton look-alike contest and lost.
In one of Parton’s amusing stories, she recalls entering a drag queen look-alike contest dressed as herself and losing. “They had a bunch of Chers and Dollys that year, so I just over-exaggerated—made my beauty mark bigger, the eyes bigger, the hair bigger, everything,” she laughs.
Although Dolly was the real deal, even more exaggerated than usual, she didn’t win the contest. No one, not the other contestants, judges, or audience, recognized her as the actual Dolly Parton. “They just thought I was some little short gay guy,” she laughs, adding that she “got the least applause.” Though she didn’t win, it gave her a hilarious story to tell.
6. Parton created Dollywood to give back to her hometown community.
Dollywood wasn’t conceived because Parton wanted her own theme park; it was her way of giving back to Sevier County, Tennessee, where she grew up. In an interview with *Vanity Fair*, she shared, “I used to think early on in my career, ‘If I ever get to be the star I want to be, as successful as I want to be, I want to do something great for my people, back home.’” She chose a theme park because, coming from humble beginnings, she viewed the county fair as “the greatest thing on Earth.”
Opened in 1986, Dollywood became Sevier County's largest employer, currently providing 4,500 jobs. Additionally, Parton uses the park’s profits to fund various charitable projects through the Dollywood Foundation.
Even though Parton’s name is on the theme park, she doesn’t actually go on the rides when she visits. “I have a tendency to get motion sickness. Also, I’m a little bit chicken,” she admits. “With all my hair, I got so much to lose, like my wig or my shoes. I don’t like to get messed up. I’m gonna have some handsome man mess it up; I don’t want some ride doing it.”
5. Parton’s Passion for Philanthropy
Let’s explore Dolly Parton’s charitable efforts through the years. One of her main goals was to reduce the high school dropout rate in Sevier County, which stood at over 30%. In 1991, she initiated the Buddy Program, where seventh and eighth graders were paired, and if both graduated, they received a $500 reward. This initiative resulted in a significant drop in the dropout rate, bringing it down to just 6%.
But that was merely the beginning. In 1995, Dolly launched the Imagination Library, a program inspired by her father’s struggle with reading and writing. She has sent over 200 million free books to children from birth until age five, earning her the nickname “The Book Lady.” Dolly often says this initiative meant more to her father than her rise to fame or her hard work.
Additionally, Dolly funds scholarships for Sevier County high school graduates and has raised funds for families affected by wildfires and floods in Tennessee. She has also made millions of dollars in donations to medical research, including a $1 million contribution to Vanderbilt University to support the development of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. In 2022, she was rightfully honored with the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.
4. The Myth of Writing ‘Jolene’ and ‘I Will Always Love You’ in One Sitting
For years, it's been believed that Dolly Parton wrote two of her biggest songs—'Jolene' and 'I Will Always Love You'—on the same day. In 2017, Parton herself confirmed this during an interview on the Bobby Bones Show, joking that everyone always asked her, 'What were you taking? That was a good writing day.'
However, in 2022, Parton appeared on the WorkLife with Adam Grant podcast and cast some doubt on the idea, saying, 'I don’t really know if they were written in the same night.' She mentioned that 'when we found an old tape, they were on the same cassette,' suggesting they might have been recorded 'a few days apart,' though they were still written within a very short period of time.
'I Will Always Love You' was born from Parton’s complicated love-hate relationship with Porter Wagoner, her former co-star on The Porter Wagoner Show, as she was preparing to leave and pursue her solo career. She even turned down Elvis Presley’s offer to record the song because his manager, Colonel Parker, demanded half the publishing rights.
While the lyrics of 'Jolene' seem intense, the song’s inspiration is more light-hearted. Parton had once met a young fan named Jolene, and she thought the name was beautiful. But the real story behind the song was a flirty bank teller who was infatuated with Parton’s husband. Despite the song’s apparent tone, Parton insists there was no jealousy; instead, it became 'a running joke between us.'
Dolly the Sheep, the first mammal ever to be successfully cloned, was named after Dolly Parton, solidifying her connection to scientific history.
On July 5, 1996, scientists at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, Scotland, made history by successfully cloning the first mammal. The birth of the sheep marked a major milestone, and when it came time to name the animal, the scientists couldn't resist a bit of humor. 'Dolly is derived from a mammary gland cell, and we couldn’t think of a more impressive pair of glands than Dolly Parton’s,' explained Dr. Ian Wilmut, the lead scientist.
Dolly the sheep isn't the only thing named after Dolly Parton, or more specifically, her iconic chest. The distinctive curves of the General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge in Alabama and the Hernando De Soto Bridge in Memphis earned them the nickname 'the Dolly Parton Bridge.' Even the U.S. Army got in on the fun, unofficially calling the T-72A tank 'Dolly Parton' and the T-72BI version 'Super Dolly Parton' due to the thickened armor around the turret.
2. Parton Has a Secret Song Hidden Away in a Time Capsule
Dolly Parton has written and recorded a song that will remain unheard for more than 20 years. A copy of the song has been sealed in a 'Dream Box' time capsule at Dollywood. The 77-year-old singer joked that she might not be around when it's released, saying, 'I figure it’ll probably disintegrate, probably nobody ever hears it. That’s what bothers me, to think that it’s gonna be a song that nobody’s ever gonna hear if it rots in there before they open it.'
Parton has announced that the song will be revealed when she turns 99, but a note next to the capsule says it will actually be released on her 100th birthday, January 19, 2046. The song, titled 'My Place in History,' is one that Parton believes is 'really good.'
1. She Worked as an Uncredited Producer for Buffy the Vampire Slayer
In 1986, Dolly Parton teamed up with her former manager, Sandy Gallin, to launch Sandollar Productions, the company responsible for bringing Buffy the Vampire Slayer to the screen. Though Gallin's name made it into the credits, Parton’s involvement remained under the radar, and she was never officially credited. The company was also behind films like Father of the Bride (1991) and Sabrina (1995).
During a 2023 interview with Jimmy Fallon, Buffy star Sarah Michelle Gellar reflected on Parton’s behind-the-scenes role, saying, 'We never saw her,' and joking that she thought 'she doesn’t know who I am.' However, Parton had been following the show and, according to Gellar, later praised both the show and her performance.
