Dolly Rebecca Parton was born on 19 January, 1946 in Sevier County, Tennessee USA, and the singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist is a country music legend best known for her long string of country music hit songs – she has released over forty Top-10 country albums, and has enjoyed 25 number one singles. Some of Parton’s most famous work includes songs “9 to 5”, “My Tennessee Mountain Home”, “Jolene” and “Coat of Many Colors”. A whole generation has grown up listening to Parton’s music, and her mind-blowing fame and success has certainly contributed to the country legend’s massive net worth.
So just how rich is Dolly Parton? Sources estimate that her stunning net worth is in excess of $520 million, accumulated during a career spanning more than five decades in the entertainment industry.
Dolly Parton Net Worth $520 Million
Dolly Parton comes from humble origins. Parton was the fourth of twelve children in a farmer household, and has been quoted describing her family’s finances simply as “dirt poor”, and this provided the inspiration for many of her earlier hits, including “Coat of Many Colors”. Music was always a part of her life, and Parton performed several times in church as a child, singing together with her siblings and parents. Parton’s talent was quickly noticed when she began appearing as a child singer on various Tennessee radio and television productions. One of the 20th century’s most influential American singers and musicians, Johnny Cash himself, met the young Dolly Parton in a weekly country music concert and encouraged her to stick to her instincts in pursuit of her career.
With such an auspicious start to her career, the 18 year old Dolly Parton moved to Nashville, where she would sign with the recording label “Monument Records”. Initially, however, “Monument Records” were reluctant to allow Parton to perform country music – her voice was thought unsuitable for this particular genre. Parton, however, refused to be denied, and when her composition “Put it Off Until Tomorrow” with fellow country singer Bill Philips went on to make the country music Top 10, “Monument” had to agree. An astoundingly successful career in country music would follow as Parton partnered first with entertainer Porter Wagoner, and then went on to solo work. Between 1974 and 1980, Dolly Parton released no less than eight country singles that would go on to reach #1 on the charts. In fact, Dolly has also released over 40 studio albums alone, has been nominated for numerous Golden Globe Awards and has won eight Grammies, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award – which is a sure sign of Parton’s immense fame and popularity, which have enabled her to amass such an enormous net worth.
Dolly Parton has also enjoyed a successful career in acting, appearing in Colin Higgins’ 1980 comedy “9 to 5” in a lead role alongside Lily Tomlin and Dabney Coleman, and more than a dozen other films. Additionally Dolly has appeared on TV in many of her own shows, and starred in more than 20 other series’, films and shows. In addition, Parton owns her own theme park – “Dollywood”, which boasts an annual average of three million visitors.
Today, Dolly Parton lives with her husband Carl Dean – they married in 1966. Though they have no children of their own, Parton has helped raise several of her nieces and nephews, and she is the godmother to American performer Miley Cyrus.
