Rachel dennison

Dolly Parton is a country music legend, philanthropist and style icon — but she had to overcome a lot to get there.

She grew up as one of 12 children of Robert Lee (who goes by Lee) and Avie Lee Parton in the Smoky Mountains of Eastern Tennessee.

Today, Dolly’s superstar career has included several Grammy awards and Oscar, Emmy and Tony nominations.

She's also written best-selling books like Songteller, starred in iconic movies like Steel Magnoliasand 9 to 5, opened her own Dollywood theme park and secured a permanent place in the hearts of fans across the globe.

Larry gerald parton

Many members of the Parton family have been involved in her career, too. She's also found ways to honor her parents, Lee and Avie Lee, who died in 2000 and 2003, respectively. Lee inspired her nonprofit Imagination Library, which has given more than 200 million books to children all over the world, and there are tributes to both her p