Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton by Amy
(Born 19th January 1946)
Dolly is an American born Country music singer/songwriter. She is also known for her work as an actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist. She has gone on to become the most successful woman in Country music, earning her the title “The Queen of Country.” Dolly is known for her big hair, big boobs, big voice and big heart. However, she confounds the stereotype of the dumb, Barbie doll blond, proving that ambition, charm and a savvy business mind are the keys to success.
Dolly did not have an easy ride to the top. The fourth of twelve children, she was raised in a “dirt poor” family, but this never dampened her desire for success. On the contrary it was a desire to break away from this life that drove her forward in search of her dream. Dolly knew that if she was to become a successful singer she would need to break the cycle of poverty into which she had been born. She saw education as one way out, and went on to become the first person in her family to attend high school.
During the 1960s the Country music scene was dominated by men, but Dolly never let this faze her. It proved to be her keen business sense and stubborn determination which ultimately stood her in good stead. In the 1970’s Elvis Presley came to Dolly and asked if he could cover a song which she had written called ‘I Will Always Love You’. However, his record company also wanted access to the song’s rights. Dolly refused to give up what was rightfully hers and the song went on to earn her millions when it became one of the biggest selling songs of all time, performed by Whitney Houston in the film ‘The Bodyguard’. It was strong business decisions such as this which lead to Dolly being nicknamed “The Iron Butterfly”. And yet, Dolly has never forgotten her humble beginnings. She puts back a lot of money back into the community where she grew up in Tennessee. In the 1980s she set up The Dollywood Foundation, which focuses on providing employment and education for the reg ion.
Dolly may look like the stereotypical dumb blond, but in reality this couldn’t be further from the truth. Throughout her life she has proved that a girl can go a long way with big ambitions, big hair and a big smile.
