Dolly-Parton

Dolly Parton was born on January 19, 1946 in Locust Ridge Tenn. She grew up with 12 other children. Her vivid imagination allowed her to escape the grim realities of life. Songs were being written by her before she learned to write or read. In 8 years, she got her first guitar. At age 11, she began to sing on Knoxville Tenn's radio station. She released her debut album during the same year with Gold Band Records, a small, independent label. While she was in college, she already made a name for herself in the local music scene. However, her goal was to be more widely recognized. When she was graduating in 1964 she relocated to Nashville. Dumb Blonde was her first single to reach the top of the charts on Monument Records. Around this time, Porter Wagoner was looking for a new girl singer for his television show that was syndicated. Parton was hired in 1966. She was then signed to RCA Records in 1968, and then the Grand Ole Opry was founded in the year 1969. The show was cancelled by Wagoner, but in 1974, because her solo albums, like Joshua Coat Of Many Colors and Jolene over-sold the collaborations. The two split in 1974, Parton wrote the song I Will Always Love You for Wagoner and the song reached No. 1 for the very first time in 1974.