Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American country singer, songwriter, composer and actress.

Breakout

Despite originally being typecast in many circles as a "Country and Western" singer, Parton later had even greater commercial success as a pop singer and actress. Her 1977 album "Here You Come Again" was her first million-seller, and the title track became her first top-ten single on the pop charts; many of her subsequent singles charted on both pop and country charts simultaneously. Her albums during this period were more tightly produced and were designed specifically for pop/crossover success.

Related Topics:
Pop - 1977 - Here You Come Again

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In 1980, Jane Fonda decided Parton was a perfect candidate for her upcoming film, 9 to 5. She was looking for a brassy Southern woman for a supporting role and felt the singer was perfect. Parton was signed, and went on to steal the notices and score a major hit with the title song.

Related Topics:
1980 - Jane Fonda - Film - 9 to 5 - Southern

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She wrote and performed "9 to 5" which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. She received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song - Motion Picture. And she won two Grammy Awards, for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song. It reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was also #78 on American Film Institute's 100 years, 100 songs.

Related Topics:
Academy Award - Best Original Song - Golden Globe - Grammy Award - Billboard Hot 100 - American Film Institute

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She also received Golden Globe nominations for Best Motion Picture Actress - Musical/Comedy and New Star of the Year in a Motion Picture - Female.

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Parton was very selective about her future film material, and had successes opposite Burt Reynolds in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982), for which she received another Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical, and in the supporting role as Truvy in Steel Magnolias (1989) co-starring Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, and Julia Roberts.

Related Topics:
Burt Reynolds - The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas - 1982 - Steel Magnolias - 1989 - Sally Field - Shirley MacLaine - Daryl Hannah - Olympia Dukakis - Julia Roberts

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In 1982, she recorded a second version of "I Will Always Love You" for The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas; the second version proved to be another #1 country hit and also managed to reach the pop charts, going to #53 in the United States.

Related Topics:
1982 - United States

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In 1986, she was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Related Topics:
1986 - Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame

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The following year, along with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt, she released the decade-in-the-making Trio album to critical acclaim. Also in 1987, Parton switched record labels, moving from RCA to Columbia Records, and took a second stab at her own TV variety show, also titled Dolly, which lasted only one season.

Related Topics:
Emmylou Harris - Linda Ronstadt - Trio - 1987 - Columbia Records - Variety show - Dolly

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Parton has also done voice work for animation, such as playing herself in the TV series Alvin & the Chipmunks (episode: Urban Chipmunk) (1987) and her voice role as Katrina Eloise "Murph" Murphy in The Magic School Bus (episode: The Family Holiday Special) (1996).

Related Topics:
Animation - Alvin & the Chipmunks - 1987 - The Magic School Bus - 1996

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Standing at an even 5 feet tall (152 cm), Parton's physical trademark is her large bust; her petite dimensions elsewhere accentuate her 40 inch, DD cup bosom. She has often mocked this reputation with quips such as "I would have burned my bra in the 60s, but it would have taken the fire department three days to put it out," or "The reason I have a small waist and small feet is that nothing grows well in the shade."

Related Topics:
Cm - Bust

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In 1992, "I Will Always Love You" was performed by Whitney Houston on The Bodyguard soundtrack. Houston's version became the best-selling hit ever written and performed by a female vocalist, with worldwide sales of $12,000,000. As Parton owned the song, she raked in huge profits from Houston's cover. The song was also covered by music legend Kenny Rogers on his 1997 album "Always and Forever," which sold over 4 million copies worldwide.

Related Topics:
Whitney Houston - The Bodyguard - Kenny Rogers - 1997

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Parton's last starring role in a film was in 1992's Straight Talk, opposite James Woods. She played the plainspoken host of a radio program that has people phoning-in with problems. She later played an overprotective mother in Frank McKlusky, C.I. with Dave Sheridan, Cameron Richardson, and Randy Quaid.

Related Topics:
1992 - Straight Talk - James Woods - Frank McKlusky, C.I. - Dave Sheridan - Cameron Richardson - Randy Quaid

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After Parton (in common with many other performers of her generation) was dropped from country radio stations' playlists in the mid-1990s, she rediscovered her roots by recording a series of critically acclaimed bluegrass albums, beginning with "The Grass is Blue" (1999) and including Grammy-winning "Little Sparrow" (2001), which was the theme tune of the very popular movie of the same name. Her 2002 album "Halos and Horns" included a bluegrass version of the Led Zeppelin classic Stairway to Heaven.

Related Topics:
1990s - Bluegrass - 2001 - 2002 - Halos and Horns - Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven

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