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40 Rare Photos of Dolly Parton Through the Years

Get a look at Parton's early career, family life, Dollywood, and more.

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Dolly Parton Though The Years
Chris Walter//Getty Images

Dolly Parton isn't just a hugely popular country music star — she's an institution. Her first album, Hello, I'm Dolly came out in 1967, and she's been breaking records and winning awards ever since. Parton has topped the Billboard charts 25 times, earning 25 Recording Industry Association of America-certified gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards. Over her career, she's earned 41 top-10 country albums, 110 charted singles, nine Grammy Awards (of 47 nominations), two Academy Award nominations, 10 Country Music Association Awards, seven Academy of Country Music Awards, three American Music Awards, and the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year Award. She's also a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

You probably know her music, but Parton has a very private personal life. Born in 1946 the fourth of 12 siblings, her first home was a one-room cabin in East Tennessee. She and her husband Carl Thomas Dean have been married for more than 50 years, although he rarely accompanies her in public. While she doesn't have any biological children, she helped raise several of Dean's siblings. Dolly is also Miley Cyrus's "fairy" godmother, not to mention the godmother of country music in general. Take a trip down memory lane with a look back at the life and times of Dolly Parton.

1

1955: Smiling as a Kid

Dolly Parton - Young Dolly Parton Portrait 1955
Michael Ochs Archives//Getty Images

Before she was a country music superstar, Dolly was a kid born in a one room cabin in Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee.

2

1965: Dolly as a Pop Singer

Dolly Parton - Young Dolly In Nashville 196
Michael Ochs Archives//Getty Images

Looks like she's always had a thing for big hair! This portrait of Dolly is from 1965, the same year she signed with Monument Records as a pop singer. Yes, you read that right — it wasn't until years later that Dolly would return to her country roots.

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3

1967: Joining the 'Porter Wagoner Show' Cast

Dolly Parton - Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton With The Wagonmasters
Michael Ochs Archives//Getty Images

Young Dolly smiles here with her good friend Porter Wagoner and the rest of his show's cast.

4

1969: A Duet With Porter Wagoner

Dolly Parton - with Porter Wagoner 1967
Michael Ochs Archives//Getty Images

Much of Dolly's early success is do to her spot on Porter Wagoner's television series The Porter Wagoner Show. The two become close and often sang duets together. When Dolly eventually left the show to pursue a solo career, she wrote her famous song "I Will Always Love You" about saying goodbye to her old friend.

RELATED: The Real Story Behind Why Dolly Parton Wrote the Song "I Will Always Love You"

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5

1975: Country Girl

Dolly Parton in 1975
Silver Screen Collection//Getty Images

With her ten-gallon hat, Dolly proves that she'll always be a country girl at heart.

6

1977: Performing at the Bottom Line

Dolly Parton - Dolly Parton In New York
Michael Putland//Getty Images

Shortly after leaving Porter Wagoner’s show, Dolly performed songs from her first number one album as a solo artist, New Harvest…First Gathering. As she played in the ultra cool New York City club, Bruce Springsteen, Mick Jagger and John Belushi all came to hear her sing.

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7

1977: Hotel Room Portrait

Portrait Of Dolly Parton 1977
Paul Natkin//Getty Images

With her signature big blonde wig and perfectly made up face, Dolly relaxes in a Chicago Holiday Inn.

8

1978: Dancing at Studio 54

Dolly Parton Concert After Party at Studio 54 - May 22, 1978
Ron Galella//Getty Images

The New York City nightclub that become infamous for celebrity bad behavior held a memorable soirée in Dolly's honor. To make the country singer feel more at home, the 1978 party was farm themed — and complete with haystacks and live animals.

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9

1980: Starring in '9 to 5'

Dolly Parton - Dolly, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin
Silver Screen Collection//Getty Images

Here Dolly poses with her costars Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda in the workplace comedy about three female secretaries who kidnap their sexist boss. The 1980 film was a hit, and inspired a popular Broadway musical.

10

1980: Walking With Her Brother

Dolly Parton and her brother David Parton at Morning at Seven October 30, 1980
Ron Galella//Getty Images

Did you know that Dolly is grew up as one of 12 children? Here she is spending time with her brother David, who keeps out of the public eye.

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11

1981: Sisterly Love

Dolly Parton - and her sister Frieda Parton 1981
Ron Galella//Getty Images

Dolly's very close with all of her siblings, including Frieda, the former punk band performer who's now an ordained minister.

12

1981: Singing Sisters

Stella Parton, Frieda Parton and Dolly Parton in 1981
Ron Galella//Getty Images

Stella Parton and Frieda Parton are both singers like their sister Dolly. Here the trio is recording a song.

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13

1981: Songwriting Runs in the Family

Dolly Parton - with her brother Floyd Parton at Bearsville Studios 1981
Ron Galella//Getty Images

Dolly is pictured here with her brother Floyd, who penned her songs "Rockin' Years," "Nickels and Dimes," and "Waltz Me to Heaven" from Rhinestone.

14

1983: With Her Manager

Dolly Parton - with manager Sandy Gallin at Spago's Restaurant - March 10, 1983
Ron Galella//Getty Images

Dolly strolls with longtime manager and friend Sandy Gallin, who is credited with convincing her to record the 1977 smash hit “Here You Come Again."

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15

1987: Performing on Her Variety Show

Dolly Parton - The Dolly Parton Show
ABC Photo Archives//Getty Images

You may not remember this, but Dolly actually headlined her own variety show on ABC. The show, which premiered in 1987, mixed music and comedy skits, and featured guests like Bruce Willis, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Tom Petty, and Oprah Winfrey.

16

1987: Singing a Duet With Oprah

Dolly Parton -  Dolly and Oprah
ABC Photo Archives//Getty Images

This doesn't happen every day! In 1987, Oprah stopped by Dolly's Variety show Dolly! for a duet.

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17

1987: "Marrying" Hulk Hogan

Dolly Parton - Dolly and Hulk Hogan
ABC Photo Archives//Getty Images

In the mid-'80s, Dolly had seen a tabloid story claiming that she had "fallen in love" with pro-wrestler Hulk Hogan. Dolly poked fun at the rumors with spoof song "Headlock on My Heart," and a fake wedding on her variety show. It was all in good fun though, Dolly has been happily married to Carl Dean since 1966.

18

1987: A Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Dolly Parton - Dolly Parton and Sylvester Stallone
William Nation//Getty Images

Dolly received her first of two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (!) in 1987 alongside Rhinestone co-star Sylvester Stallone.

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19

1987: Back in Dollywood

Dolly Parton - 1987 Disney ABC Television Group Archive
John Seakwood//Getty Images

Dolly smiles for this cheeky photo of her in Dollywood back in 1987

20

1987: Dolly Want a Cracker?

Dolly Parton with parrot 1987
Ron Davis//Getty Images

Full of surprises, Dolly was joined by a parrot on her show Dolly! Though it really shouldn't be all that shocking considering the singer's love of animals.

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Lizz Schumer
Senior Editor
Lizz (she/her) is a senior editor at Good Housekeeping, where she runs the GH Book Club, edits essays and long-form features and writes about pets, books and lifestyle topics. A journalist for almost two decades, she is the author of Biography of a Body and Buffalo Steel. She also teaches journalism as an adjunct professor at New York University's School of Professional Studies and creative nonfiction at the Muse Writing Center, and coaches with the New York Writing Room.
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As an Editorial Fellow for Good Housekeeping, Katie covers health, beauty, home, and pop culture. Outside of the office, you can find her killing it on the karaoke machine or listening to true crime podcasts.

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