Dolly Parton’s rich musicality, joyful demeanor, and keen business sense have fueled an illustrious career in entertainment spanning 60 years. Ever-sparkling, ever-melodic, the singer-songwriter and actress went from performing barefoot for her siblings on the porch of their cabin in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee to creating chart-topping records in country and pop that earned her millions. She is loved for her upbeat and genuine songs, her hallmark feminine and bedazzled style, and her quick wit, big smile, and down-to-earth charm.
Parton was born in 1946, the fourth of 12 children. Music was in her family roots, especially on her mother’s side. Her mother, Avie Lee Parton, sang, played guitar, and encouraged her daughter’s talents. Byy age 10, Parton was writing and singing guitar songs on the radio and television. After she debuted at the Grand Ole Opry at age 13, her star quickly rose, and by the 1970s, she had scored several No. 1 country hits, including “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” (which Whitney Houston later covered to great acclaim).
Parton’s deft songwriting and unique voice still appeal to fans of both country and pop music. Her song “9 to 5,” the title track from her 1980 film debut, was a No. 1 pop hit. She went on to act in several other movies; launch her own theme park, Dollywood; and partner with musical greats like EmmyLou Harris and Alison Krauss on award-winning albums. Her work has been widely recognized and commended, earning her Grammy Awards, Kennedy Center Honors, and a spot in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
From her earliest recordings, Parton was careful to maintain publishing rights to her songs, a decision that secured her fortune and enabled her to give back. She has been an active philanthropist for years, funding literacy programs, medicine, and other causes. Now in her seventies, Parton continues to record compelling music (her most recent album was in 2020) and strum the nation’s heartstrings. Here are 16 quotes that shine a light on Parton’s sparkling success, cheerful outlook, and enduring gratitude.
Find out who you are, and do it on purpose.
If you see someone without a smile today, give 'em yours.
I make a point to appreciate all the little things in my life. I go out and smell the air after a good, hard rain. These small actions help remind me that there are so many great, glorious pieces of good in the world.
I think that if I am smart in business, it’s just that I’m smart about who I am. I know what I can, can’t, will, and won’t do, and if I have to be strict about that, I will.
Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.
I think people just know I’m a very open and accepting person. And in any religion we’re supposed to be that — we’re supposed to be kind... we’re not supposed to pass judgment.
I think you have to work at being happy, just like you have to work at being miserable. I’m going to grasp every happy moment I can find.
You can sit around and wish for good things to happen to you, but a dream is something you have to pursue, something you make happen… You’ve got to be responsible for your dreams. You’ve got to take care of them the way you take care of your children, protect them, say no to people who want to remake them their own way.
I discovered that there were books written about positive thinking. But, you see, I had practiced that all my life. That’s what got me out of the mountains.
If my attitude needs more adjusting, I visualize God holding me upside down and shaking all the negative stuff — fears, doubts, insecurities — right out of me. Try it. Ask God to turn you upside down! It’s a surefire pick-me-up.
My uncle Louis saw how serious I was about music, so he gave me a guitar, a baby Martin. Oh, I loved that guitar! I played it all the time. I prayed my dreams. Lived and breathed ’em too. Maybe that’s why it never occurred to me they might not come true.
I've had to go against all kinds of people through the years just to be myself. I think everybody should be allowed to be who they are, and to love who they love.
I have to not harden my heart, because I want to stay open to feel things. So when I hurt, I hurt all over. And when I cry, I cry real hard. And when I’m mad, I’m mad all over. I’m just a person; I like to experience whatever the feeling is and whatever I’m going through.
I knew there was a world beyond the Smokies… and I wanted to see it for myself… But I always came back for what I discovered growing up there: wonder and wisdom, music and inspiration, freedom and faith.
I am a happy person. That is my greatest blessing. It can be yours too. Think about it. Friends and family, work, laughter, prayer, love. They add up to joy. For you, for me, for anyone.
Photo Credit: Richard McCaffrey/ Michael Ochs Archive via Getty Images
