Dolly Parton is arguably the most important female singer-songwriter in country music history. Beginning her career as a songwriter in Nashville just after graduating high school, she joined Porter Wagoner on his television show, releasing a series of duets with him before launching a solo recording career. She scored her first solo No. 1 hit in 1970 with "Joshua," and followed up with a string of No. 1 hits that included "Jolene," "I Will Always Love You" and "Love Is Like a Butterfly." After her break with Wagoner, she crossed over into mainstream stardom with the 1977 album 'Here You Come Again,' which scored No. 1 singles with the title song and "It's All Wrong, But It's All Right." She launched an acting career in 1980 with '9 to 5,' and scored one of the biggest crossover country-pop hits ever with "Islands in the Stream," a 1983 duet with Kenny Rogers. In 1986 she launched her own theme park, Dollywood, in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. She has continued a high-profile series of films, TV appearances, books, regular album releases and touring, returning to her country roots in more recent years for a string of bluegrass albums, among other ventures.
- Birth Name: Dolly Rebecca Parton
- Top Songs: “Jolene,” “Here You Come Again,” “Coat of Many Colors,” “I Will Always Love You”
- Did You Know? Parton estimates she has written more than 3,000 songs.
- Further Reading: Top 10 Dolly Parton Songs