Dolly Parton's journey from a humble two-room cabin in rural Tennessee to the bright lights of country music stardom is one of the most inspiring stories in the music industry.Parton, who died at age 80 on August 25, became a cultural icon, celebrated not only for chart-topping hits like "9-to-5" and "I Will Always Love You," but also for her philanthropy, business ventures, and effortless charm.Before her passing, Parton had canceled her scheduled Vegas residency, citing health concerns.Here's a complete timeline of Parton's decades in the public eye and her remarkable career.
Dolly Parton was born in Locust Ridge, Tennessee, on January 19, 1946.
Dolly Parton grew up in a one-bedroom cabin without running water or electricity.
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The fourth of 12 children, Parton was born to a poor family in rural Appalachia.Parton's father, Robert Lee, was a tobacco farmer and a construction worker who never learned to read or write, having dropped out of school as a young child.Her mother, Avie Lee Owens, was a preacher's daughter who spent most of her life raising and caring for her children. Parton always knew she wanted to be a star. In the early days of her musical career, she sang barefoot on the front porch of her family's home in the mountains, a two-room log cabin with no running water or electricity.In 1951, at just 5 years old, Parton wrote her first song, "Little Tiny Tassel Top."Two years later, in 1953, Parton was so enthusiastic about playing music that she made her first guitar out of an old mandolin and two bass guitar strings, according to the Library of Congress.
