Dolly-Parton

Dolly Parton, born Jan. 19, 1946, in Locust Ridge Tenn. to 12 children from a poor family kids who would grow with them eventually. She learned young how to overcome of difficulties with her incredibly vivid imagination. Her songs were written before she could write or read. Her first guitar was given by her mother when she was eighteen. The singer began her singing career at an Knoxville Tenn station by the age of eleven. She recorded her first album within the same calendar year with Gold Band Records, a small label that was an independent. In high school she made herself known to the school community but her goals were bigger. When she graduated from high school in 1964 she moved straight to Nashville. Dumb Blonde, Something Fishy and Dumb Blonde both charted on Monument Records in 1967. Porter Wagoner had been looking for female performers to perform on his show syndicated by him in the years prior to this. Parton was offered the gig in 1967 and signed with RCA Records in 1968 and became a member of with the Grand Ole Opry in 1969. However she left Wagoner's show in 1974 as her solo songs like Joshua Coat of Many Colors and Jolene were out-charting their collaborations. Parton was a part of the group that split after the end of their partnership with Wagoner she wrote the song"I'll Always Be Loved" by You and had it reach No. The song of Parton in 1974. I Will Always Love You climbed to the No.