Dolly Parton got her start in the entertainment industry after making her debut at the Grand Ole Opry at the age of 13. Here is a look back at her career in music, film and philanthropy.
Born in January 1949, Dolly Parton made her debut at the Grand Ole Opry in 1959 at age 13 before moving to Nashville in 1960 to make it as a professional country singer. read more Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images / Getty Images Share Dolly Parton and Carl Thomas Dean got married in 1966. read more Dolly Parton Instagram / Getty Images Share Parton released her first solo album, "Hello, I'm Dolly," in 1967, after which Porter Wagoner invited her onto "The Porter Wagoner Show." read more Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton continued her partnership with Wagner throughout the early 70s, and became an official member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1969. read more Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton released her fifth studio album, "The Fairest of Them All," in February 1970. read more Richard E. Aaron/Redferns / Getty Images Share Parton released one of her most popular songs, "I Will Always Love You," in 1974, which she wrote about the end of her partnership from Porter Wagoner. read more Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton launched her own variety television show, "Dolly!" in 1976, which often featured many other famous singers. read more Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton released the album, "Here You Come Again" in 1976, which spent five weeks at number one on Billboard's country charts. read more Paul Natkin/Getty Images / Getty Images Share In 1978, Dolly Parton won her first Grammy Award for "Here You Come Again" and later won entertainer of the year at the CMA Awards. read more Tom Hill/WireImage / Getty Images Share Parton was nominated for another Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for best original song for "Travelin' Thru" for the film "Transamerica." read more Scott Gries/Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton made her feature film debut in 1980 in the hit comedy, "9-5," alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. She also wrote the films title track, an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song, two Golden Globe nominations and two Grammy Award wins. read more Apic/Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton also wrote the film's title track, an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song, two Golden Globe nominations and two Grammy Award wins. read more Rick Diamond/Getty Images / Getty Images Share She received her another Golden Globe nomination in 1982 for her work in the movie "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas." read more Pete Still/Redferns / Getty Images Share Parton partnered with Kenny Rogers in 1983, releasing their number 1 hit, "Islands In the Stream." read more Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton opened her own theme park, Dollywood, in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, in 1976. read more Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton launched a variety television show, "Dolly" in 1987, which was a major ABC prime-time series with a large production budget. read more John Seakwood/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images / Getty Images Share Her new show featured a Christmas episode with puppets. read more Bob D'Amico/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images / Getty Images Share She also invited the Chippendales to appear on her show with her. read more Craig Sjodin/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton made light of a 1987 tabloid story that she fell in love with a 300 lb wrestler, writing the song, "He's Got a Headlock on my Heart.." read more Bettmann Archive/Getty Images / Getty Images Share One of the many celebrity guests on her show included Bob Hope. read more Bob D'Amico/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton won another Grammy Award in 1988 for best country performance by a duo or group for her work with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris. read more Beth Gwinn/Getty Images / Getty Images Share In 1989, Parton starred in the successful film,"Steel Magnolias," alongside Julia Roberts, Shirley MacLaine, Sally Fields and Daryl Hannah. read more Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton released "Eagle When She Flies" in 1991, which went on to achieve platinum status. read more Paul Natkin/Getty Images / Getty Images Share Whitney Houston's cover of "I Will Always Love You" spent 14 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 list, which benefitted her as a songwriter and introduced her songwriting skills to a different audience. read more Ron Davis/Getty Images / Getty Images Share She also starred in "Straight Talk" in 1992, and wrote and performed much of the music for the film, including "Straight Talk," "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" and "Blue Grace." read more Buena Vista/Getty Images / Getty Images Share While maintaining the responsibilities of running a theme park, she teamed up with Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette to release "Honky Tonk Angels." read more Ron Davis/Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton started the Imagination Library in 1995, which provided young children with free books mailed directly to their homes, regardless of family income. She started the program in honor of her father, who couldn't read. read more Ron Davis/Getty Images / Getty Images Share By 2024, approximately 1 in every 7 U.S. children under age five was receiving a monthly Imagination Library book, with of 300 million books gifted by 2025. read more Margaret Norton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images / Getty Images Share 1999 was a big year for Parton, as she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and released the critically acclaimed album, "The Grass Is Blue." read more CBS via Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton won her sixth Grammy Award in 2001 for "The Grass Is Blue" in the best bluegrass album, category. read more Paul Harris/Getty Images) / Getty Images Share Parton received both the National Medal of Arts and the Living Legend Award from the Library of Congress in 2004. read more Matthew Peyton/Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton received another Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nomination for best original song for her song, "Travelin' Thru" for the film "Transamerica." read more Scott Gries/Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2006. read more Scott Suchman/WireImage / Getty Images Share Parton appeared alongside her goddaughter, Miley Cyrus, in a 2007 episode of "Hannah Montana," playing Aunt Dolly. read more Joel Warren/Disney Channel via Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton was honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011. read more Paul Drinkwater/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank / Getty Images Share Parton and Rogers reunited in 2013, for "You Can't Make Old Friends," 30 years after "Islands In the Stream." read more Rick Diamond/Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton wowed the crowd when performing at Glastonbury in 2014. read more Jim Dyson/Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton created the My People Fund in 2016 following wildfires in the Great Smoky Mountains, which ultimately provided about $9 million to affected families. read more JB Lacroix/WireImage / Getty Images Share The singer received another Grammy and Golden Globe nomination for best original song in 2018 for "Girl in the Movies." read more Chelsea Lauren/Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton celebrated 50 years at the Grand Ole Opry in 2019. read more Taylor Hill/Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton won a Grammy for "There Was Jesus" and her first Emmy for "Christmas on the Square" in 2021 at the age of 75. read more Jason Kempin/Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. read more Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic / Getty Images Share Parton performed at the halftime show at the Dallas Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day game in 2023, dressed as a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader. read more Ron Jenkins/Getty Images / Getty Images Share After being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Parton released the album "Rockstar" in 2023 which featured, Chris Stapleton, Paul McCartney, Steven Tyler and others. read more Jason Kempin/Getty Images for American Greetings / Getty Images Share Parton was named the No. 1 country artist of all time by Billboard in 2024. read more Terry Wyatt/WireImage / Getty Images Share Parton sparked health concerns in 2025 when she postponed her Las Vegas residency citing health as the reason. read more Jason Kempin/Getty Images / Getty Images Share Parton died on August 25 at the age of 80. read more Jason Kempin/Getty Images / Getty Images Share Published 4 mins ago 47 Images Dolly Parton dies at the age of 80: A look at her life through photos Dolly Parton got her start in the entertainment industry after making her debut at the Grand Ole Opry at the age of 13. Here is a look back at her career in music, film and philanthropy.
