30 Incredible Photos of Young Dolly Parton Through the Years
She has always been radiant! 🤩
There is simply no denying the legendary status that Dolly Parton holds. Everyone—and we truly do mean everyone—can recite the lyrics of at least one Dolly song on command. Super fans even know the lines from many of her movies. (Bonus points if you can name her Christmas movies, too!) All this to say, Dolly is an idol to many people. Which makes it crazy to think about how the Queen of Country got her start. That's why we created a list of Dolly's life in photos!
The country legend came from humble beginnings in Tennessee, and was catapulted to fame after landing a spot on The Porter Wagoner Show in 1967. Her big hair and even bigger personality made her memorable, plus she was a natural entertainer. She's obviously beloved for the songs like “Jolene” and "I Will Always Love You," but fans are equally obsessed her films like Nine to Five and Steel Magnolias. In her many years in the industry, she has earned nominations for an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award. Pretty impressive!
Dolly once said,“My dream was to make as many people happy as I could in this life,” and she has achieved that in spades. Whether she's serving up romance advice from her long-lasting marriage to husband Carl Dean, or helping us get through a rough patch through her beloved albums, Dolly has certainly made this world better. So let’s celebrate all things Dolly by taking a look back at photos of her incredible career.
1955
How sweet is little Dolly?! She was around 9 years old when this portrait was taken.
1965
Whooee! This towering display of her blonde locks must have taken a lot of hairspray.
1967
Dolly joined Porter Wagoner for a performance in the late sixties. The two were partners for more than seven years before they parted ways.
1968
The famous quote "The higher the hair, the closer to God" is often attributed to Dolly. It's unclear whether she really said it, but she certainly lived it!
1970
The hairpiece, the hoops, the fierce sweatshirt—this outfit is a total hit in our books.
1972
This is the year that Dolly released her 9th studio album, Touch Your Woman. We were still early on into Dolly's career, and she was already giving us countless hits!
1974
We don't know if we love the wide-leg pants or the bedazzled top more, but we want a replica of this for our own closets ASAP.
1975
You're looking at Dolly winning the CMA for Female Vocalist of the Year in 1975! This night marked one of many historic awards the icon has won.
1976
The "Jolene" singer was loving life in her patterned jumpsuit topped off with a cozy looking crocheted shawl.
1977
Dolly went the all-American red, white, and blonde route during a photoshoot at a Holiday Inn in Chicago.
1978
This glamorous shot from a portrait session in 1978 proves Dolly has always been a ray of sunshine!
1979
This is what it looks like when two legends get together. Dolly and comedian Carol Burnett teamed up for the TV special Dolly & Carol in Nashville to promote the singer's 1978 album, Heartbreaker.
1980
If a vest made of rhinestones is wrong, we don't want to be right.
1981
If there's one thing Dolly is going to do, it's sing! You can also count on catching her in the most bedazzled outfit there is. That's just what we love about her!
1982
Sydney suits her! Dolly looks sharp in a frilly plaid button-down and blazer after arriving for a vacation in Sydney, Australia.
1983
A picture may say a thousand words, but the message behind this one is clear: Smile and wave! 😄 👋
1984
We know all about her legendary love story with her husband, Carl, but we have to say she looks pretty good next to Sylvester Stallone at the premiere of their movie Rhinestone.
1985
Dolly and her longtime friend, the late Kenny Rogers, performed in New York City in the mid '80s.
1986
Oh, what we would have done to be at the Rosemont Horizon in 1986! Imagine hearing Dolly singing her countless classics right in front of you.
1987
The curly hair, chunky jewelry, and washed-out denim can only mean one thing: The '80s were in full swing.
Megan Stein is the executive editor for The Pioneer Woman, and oversees entertainment, features, and news for the website. Whether it's catching up on the latest true crime podcast, or re-watching the best '80s movies for the zillionth time, she's always here to talk about anything and everything relating to pop culture.
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