Dolly celebrates 75 glorious years January 19! Although she is known for her bold personality,  her fabulous wigs, and her whitty sayings, there are some things you may not know about her! 
Dolly’s parents, Robert and Avie Lee Parton had 12 children, Dolly was the fourth. Born in Sevierville, Tennessee her family was very poor and gave the doctor grain who delivered her.
Tattoos? In 2014 she was on the Today Show and said, “I do have a few little tattoos, but they were mostly done to cover scars because I’m so fair.” She also said they are for Carl Dean, her husband.
Since she left her hometown at 18, she always wanted to help her community. That’s why she created “Dollywood”.
Blonde and big hair, makeup and clothes, she got her inspiration from “a town tramp” she has said. “I had never seen anybody, you know, with the yellow hair all piled up and the red lipstick and the rouge and the high heeled shoes, and I thought, ‘This is what I want to look like.”
Her first crush was the Man in Black, Johnny Cash!
Not just Dolly is a singing in her family! Her brother Randy, sister Cassie, and some of her nieces are apart of Dollywood. Randy also joined Dolly on her Christmas album, “A Holly Dolly Christmas” that came out last year.
She has given millions of books as part of her charity Imagination Library. This non-profit provides free books to preschoolers. Imagination Library was created in honour of her father who couldn’t read.
Dolly was on The Porter Waggoner Show for 8 years before leaving. This inspired her famous song, “I Will Always Long You” and the two didn’t talk for many years. Shortly before Waggoner died of lung cancer, Parton reunited with him on the day he passed. 
She is Miley Cyrus’ godmother. Miley often talks about Dolly and has even covered her songs including, “Jolene”. 
The first every cloned sheep was named after Dolly! In 1996, scientists created a clone and needed a name for it, so they named her after the queen of country!
Elvis Presley wanted to record “I Will Always Love You” and Dolly said no. Part of the deal was that Dolly give up half of the publishing rights to the song. She said her heart couldn’t do it so she turned him down. 1992 comes along and Whitney Houston covered it as part of the soundtrack to “The Bodyguard”. 

Other fun facts by Dolly via GQ!

 

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