11955: Smiling as a Kid
Michael Ochs Archives//Getty ImagesBefore she was a country music superstar, Dolly was a kid born in a one room cabin in Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee.
21965: Dolly as a Pop Singer
Michael Ochs Archives//Getty ImagesLooks 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.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
31967: Joining the 'Porter Wagoner Show' Cast
Michael Ochs Archives//Getty ImagesYoung Dolly smiles here with her good friend Porter Wagoner and the rest of his show's cast.
41969: A Duet With Porter Wagoner
Michael Ochs Archives//Getty ImagesMuch 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"
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
51975: Country Girl
Silver Screen Collection//Getty ImagesWith her ten-gallon hat, Dolly proves that she'll always be a country girl at heart.
61977: Performing at the Bottom Line
Michael Putland//Getty ImagesShortly 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.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
71977: Hotel Room Portrait
Paul Natkin//Getty ImagesWith her signature big blonde wig and perfectly made up face, Dolly relaxes in a Chicago Holiday Inn.
81978: Dancing at Studio 54
Ron Galella//Getty ImagesThe 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.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
91980: Starring in '9 to 5'
Silver Screen Collection//Getty ImagesHere 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.
101980: Walking With Her Brother
Ron Galella//Getty ImagesDid 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.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
111981: Sisterly Love
Ron Galella//Getty ImagesDolly's very close with all of her siblings, including Frieda, the former punk band performer who's now an ordained minister.
121981: Singing Sisters
Ron Galella//Getty ImagesStella Parton and Frieda Parton are both singers like their sister Dolly. Here the trio is recording a song.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
131981: Songwriting Runs in the Family
Ron Galella//Getty ImagesDolly is pictured here with her brother Floyd, who penned her songs "Rockin' Years," "Nickels and Dimes," and "Waltz Me to Heaven" from Rhinestone.
141983: With Her Manager
Ron Galella//Getty ImagesDolly strolls with longtime manager and friend Sandy Gallin, who is credited with convincing her to record the 1977 smash hit “Here You Come Again."
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
151987: Performing on Her Variety Show
ABC Photo Archives//Getty ImagesYou 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.
161987: Singing a Duet With Oprah
ABC Photo Archives//Getty ImagesThis doesn't happen every day! In 1987, Oprah stopped by Dolly's Variety show Dolly! for a duet.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
171987: "Marrying" Hulk Hogan
ABC Photo Archives//Getty ImagesIn 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.
181987: A Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
William Nation//Getty ImagesDolly received her first of two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (!) in 1987 alongside Rhinestone co-star Sylvester Stallone.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
191987: Back in Dollywood
John Seakwood//Getty ImagesDolly smiles for this cheeky photo of her in Dollywood back in 1987
201987: Dolly Want a Cracker?
Ron Davis//Getty ImagesFull 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.

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.

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.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below