Dolly parton’s Early Life and Upbringing

Dolly Parton was born on January 19, 1946 in a small town called Locust Ridge in Sevier County, Tennessee. She was the fourth of twelve children born to Robert Lee Parton, a farmer and construction worker, and Avie Lee Parton, a homemaker.

Dolly grew up very poor in a small cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains with her large family. As a child, some of her fondest memories were of times spent with her family singing and making music together. Even at a young age, her immense talent and beautiful singing voice shone through.

Poverty and Hardships

Life was not easy for the Partons growing up. They lacked modern amenities in their home like electricity, plumbing, and insulation. The children shared beds and often went hungry. They primarily subsisted on what they grew themselves on their farm. Dolly started working at a young age to help support her family, doing chores around the farm and household.

However, despite the poverty and hardships she faced, Dolly has spoken about how she also has many cherished memories from her childhood in the Great Smoky Mountains. Some of her favorite memories were times spent in nature wandering through the woods and valleys, picnicking by the rivers, or making music with her family.

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Stats on Poverty Rates in Sevier County, TN: - 60% of families were below poverty line in 1940s - Average family income under $1,000 a year ($11,000 in today's money)

The happiness and community Dolly experienced during her childhood is something she has carried with her throughout her life. Later, she would even base her Dollywood theme park on capturing the magic of the Great Smoky Mountains she loved as a child.

Early Musical Development

From a very young age, it became clear that Dolly was uniquely gifted muscially. She composed her first song at age 5, “Little Tiny Tassletop,” about one of her baby dolls. By age 7, she was playing guitar and performing at church and local fairs with her family.

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Dolly Parton's Musical Talent Timeline: Age 5 - Wrote first song "Little Tiny Tassletop" Age 7 - Started playing guitar, performing publicly Age 10 - Sang on local Knoxville radio & television shows Age 13 - Recorded first singles with Goldband Records

Dolly’s uncle helped her get opportunities to sing on local Knoxville radio and TV shows as a child, which raised her local profile. At age 13, she was even recording her first singles with Goldband Records in Louisiana under the name “the Little Dolly Parton.”

Though times were tight, her family sacrificed to support her early musical gifts, even pawning their valuables to pay for Dolly’s first guitar and trips into Knoxville and New Orleans to perform. Music brought joy and hope to the family during trying times.

Role of Faith

The church also played a central, guiding role in Dolly’s childhood. She and her family were members of the Pentecostal Church of God, attending services multiple times a week growing up. Their pastor at the time even paid the doctor who delivered Dolly as a baby with a sack of cornmeal.

Parton credits her faith as a source of purpose and comfort throughout her youth. Hymns, gospel songs, and biblical stories also were incredibly influential on her as an early songwriter. Themes of heaven, God’s love, death, and salvation emerged in some of her first compositions. Church rituals instilled a lifelong faith and sense of belonging.

Adolescence & Early Career

As Parton entered her teens, music continued to be a driving passion. As a young teenager, she was already composing romantic songs beyond her years and gaining wider recognition for her voice and precocious songwriting ability.

However, her limited education also caused Parton distress during adolescence. Embarrassed about her poverty in childhood, she also felt shame over her illiteracy as a young adult and teenager. Still, none of this could suppress her talent and unrelenting dream to make it big as a musician one day.

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Dolly Parton's Accomplishments as a Teenager: - Performed at the Grand Ole Opry at age 13 - Appeared regularly on local TV & radio in Knoxville - Graduated high school at 16 despite struggles with reading - Moved to Nashville day after graduation to pursue music career

Overcoming Illiteracy

One of the biggest challenges Dolly had to overcome in her adolescence was illiteracy. Because money was tight and her father could not read himself, the Parton children did not attend school regularly. She entered school at age 8 and had very inconsistent attendance and little formal education.

As a result, it wasn’t until around age 10 that Dolly even learned to read and write her own name. She describes feeling embarrassed about her inability to read. But music became her outlet – she would turn the radio up loud to drown out reading lessons in class.

Though Parton does have dyslexia, which made learning to read more difficult, she eventually overcame her illiteracy mostly on her own through hard work and perseverance. She practiced reading newspapers, magazines, notes from fans and more. And in time, it paid off – she even succeeded in graduating high school at 16 through summer school sessions.

Launching Her Career

Right out of high school in 1964, Dolly packed up her bags from her family’s cabin in rural Tennessee and took off for Nashville. She intended to pursue her dreams of becoming a star in the burgeoning country music scene.

The day after graduation, she moved to Nashville with her uncle Bill Owens to support her career. Her first day there, she met a DJ from WDOD radio who connected her to her first nightclub performance at the Nashville Boar’s Nest. Though she was still a teenager, her talent quickly won over crowds and she became a sought after performer around the city and on radio stations.

Within her first weeks in Nashville, Dolly landed a regular guest spot on the Cas Walker Show on WIVK radio. Soon she earned a recording contract as well as management and songwriting support. At age 20, she also became a member of the Grand Ole Opry, which was unheard of for such a young performer. The meteoric early success proved Parton was not just a big fish in a small town, but had bountiful, unique talents that impressed even veteran Nashville performers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Dolly Parton’s experience growing up in poverty in the remote Smoky Mountains profoundly shaped her trajectory in life. She faced unimaginable hardship – hunger, illiteracy, illness and more due to the isolated, austere conditions her large, rural family lived in. However, the magic of the landscape as well as the devotion to faith and musicality within her family provided equal parts comfort, drive and creative spirit that made Parton the unstoppable cultural force the world would eventually come to celebrate.

The bedrock of Parton’s globally popular songs, persona and businesses remain infused with the unique richness of her Appalachian upbringing. Her tale is one of how America’s poorest places can foster the kind of grit, talent, beauty, and innovation that transcends boundaries. Parton often reflects on this theme, saying “It’s a good thing I was born in a three-room shack in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, because if I hadn’t been, I’d have probably never left.” Without her iconic origins, there could never have been the indelible Dolly charm and imprint that continues to uplift spirits and airwaves to this day

FAQ

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Dolly Parton’s childhood:

How many siblings did Dolly Parton have growing up?

Dolly was the fourth of twelve children born to her parents Robert and Avie Lee Parton in Locust Ridge, Tennessee. She had six brothers and five sisters, making for a very large family living in their small mountain cabin.

What kind of house did Dolly Parton live in as a child?

Dolly grew up in a very small, humble home in rural Appalachia. It was a basic cabin in Locust Ridge with just a few rooms that lacked electricity, plumbing and insulation. She shared beds and rooms with multiple siblings.

Was Dolly Parton poor growing up?

Yes, Dolly Parton has often spoken publicly about growing up very poor. Her family subsisted on the basic crops they produced themselves on their farm and often went hungry. 60% of families in her county were below the poverty line during this time.

How did Dolly Parton’s family support her early music career?

Though money was extremely tight, Dolly Parton’s family found ways to nurture her early talents. Her uncle helped her get access to local radio and TV performances. And her family even sacrificed valuables like jewelry to pay for Dolly’s first guitar.

What health problems did Dolly face as a child?

As a child, Dolly nearly died from an infected abscessed tooth. A local doctor cured the infection when she was 7. She also suffered health issues like jaundice and kidney issues growing up before modern medicine reached her rural town.

Lasting Impact of Her Childhood

While the poverty Dolly experienced made her early life extremely challenging at times, it’s also the time period she credits with shaping her richest stories, memories, and values. Her rural upbringing grounded Parton and influenced her songwriting profoundly. Many of her most famous songs directly reference imagery from her childhood in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.

Additionally, the austere upbringing lit a fire under Parton from a young age to make something more of herself and provide for her family. She dreamed big and saw music as a way to elevate not just her own situation in life but also support her parents, siblings and eventually the local Sevier County community.

And the folk songs and hymns of her childhood provided a musical vocabulary that forever shaped the classic country and roots feel of her iconic song catalog. Tracing back streams of Dolly’s songs, you can feel the imprint of the Smoky Mountains, church choirs, front porch foot tapping and tight knit familial harmonies bubbling up through tunes even written decades later.

Dolly Parton overcame long odds with the relentless, creative spirit and “gypsy soul” she inherited from growing up poor in Appalachia’s hills. The adversity and character-building rural lifestyle inspired a strength, charm and versatility that catapulted her into global fame and success as a singer, songwriter, author, actress, philanthropist and businesswoman with her fingers in many, many pies.