Fascinating Facts About Dolly Parton, The Queen of Country

By: Alec Donaldson | Published: Dec 11, 2023

Dolly Parton is a philanthropist, a celebrated country goddess, a humanitarian, and one of the most loved songstresses. She has written over 100 songs where most of which have ranked up on top of musical charts. She has successfully sold over a whopping 100 million of her musical records and won multiple Guinness World Records.

Newspapers, autobiographies, blogs, and many other sources have written much on Dolly Parton’s life. However, even the most avid fan of Dolly Parton may not know these facts about their favorite country goddess. Thus, sit back and enjoy as we highlight some little-known facts about the Queen of Country herself.

Sleeping With Her Makeup On

While many makeup experts will advise against sleeping your makeup on, the fact that Dolly Parton continues to be “dolled up” when she goes to bed defies this fundamental rule of beauty.

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After being asked why she doesn’t remove her makeup before bed in an interview with The New York Times, the singer explained her reasons. “In the mornings, I wash my face with soap and water. Nothing is certain in life; you never know when you’re going to crash the bus or if you’re going to be at a hotel and there’s going to be a fire; nothing is certain in life. So, I wear my makeup at night and wash my face in the morning,” she explains.

Young Dolly was Innovative With Her Look

While growing up, Dolly Parton couldn’t buy branded cosmetics since her family couldn’t afford them. However, she didn’t give up on her innermost ambition to constantly appear stunning. Her makeup was one-of-a-kind and meticulously improvised.

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Little Dolly Parton created her lipstick out of berries, her eyeliner out of burned matchsticks, and her perfume out of honeysuckle, among other things. What can you say about the resourcefulness of a determined young girl? She always sought out to look her best, and the fact that she did not have much money did not discourage the young lady.

She Bases Her Looks On a Tramp

Back at her home in Tennessee, a woman was branded the ‘town tramp,’ and people thought she was trashy. Dolly, however, thought she was beautiful, and thus when she grew up, she based her look on the woman’s looks and aesthetic.

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This is one of those facts that most people do not know about her. Dolly has a particular image and style she loves to uphold and who would have thought it was inspired by someone known as the ‘town tramp.’ Regardless, we think she is beautiful in all her looks.

Miley Cyrus Is Her Goddaughter

Did you know that Dolly is actually Miley Cyrus’ godmother? Dolly Parton told Robin Roberts that Miley Cyrus’ father was her friend. When Miley was born, her father made Dolly her godmother, although unofficially. According to Dolly, she has always been a mentor to Miley Cyrus since day one.

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As a result, it is fair to claim that Miley Cyrus had training from the finest in the music industry. This is most likely the reason why she is also successful in the music business in her own right. Although there was no formal ceremony, Dolly is overjoyed with her goddaughter’s accomplishments. “I’m very proud of her, I adore her, and she’s like one of my own,” Dolly once said.

Too Young for the First Performance

s ten years old too young? Well, if you think it is a young age, then it’s not young for Dolly. That’s when she had her first professional performance. Her uncle Billy was her connection to her first job as a superstar. Uncle Billy was among the first people to mentor Dolly in her singing career when she started.

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Uncle Billy introduced her to a man who loved advertising his business on a particular Tennessee radio show. This show would then host Dolly’s first live performance show when she was only ten years old.

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“I Will Always Love You” Was Not a Romantic Tribute

For many years the song has always been a favorite for many people. It has been used by many at romantic events to depict romantic love to their partners. However, most people don’t know that this song was not a romantic tribute but a tribute to another country music star.

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Porter Wagoner was the addressee of the song, which was composed after Dolly and Porter terminated their musical partnership. As a result, the next time you hear the song, you should associate it with Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton.

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Her Hit Single “Jolene” is Related Loosely to a True Story

Because Dolly is such a beauty queen, it is impossible to believe that another woman could lure her husband away from her. Even though Dolly claims that this never occurred, she recounts the story of a redhead teller who had a huge crush on her husband. Despite this, the lady never interfered in Dolly’s relationship with her husband.

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She claims that the song was inspired by an imagined experience of a lady who was terrified that another woman was seducing her husband. She is afraid that the woman will take her husband away from her.

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She Bought Her Childhood Home Years Later

Make mention of souvenirs and put Dolly Parton on the list of individuals who are enthusiastic about them. When she reached the age of majority and was able to make enough money, Dolly Parton ultimately purchased her childhood home in Tennessee.

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Not only did she purchase it, but she also went ahead and modified it to seem more like her old place from when she was a young kid, which she adored. Of course, the renovations cost her millions of dollars, but she had an image in her mind that she wanted to bring to life, and she worked hard to make it a reality. Call it living the past in the present. Yes, it’s that expensive, and only Dolly could do it.

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She Lost Her Look-Alike Contest

Well, at a Dolly Parton look-alike contest in Boulevard, Dolly Parton lost the contest because she overdid it. She stated that she didn’t even come close to winning.

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She revealed all of this to Robin Roberts in 2009. This fact is not only amusing, but who would have thought that the authentic songwriter herself would lose her own look-alike contest.

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Two of Her Best Singles Took Unexpectedly Little Time to Write

f you are a die-hard Dolly Parton fan, you are undoubtedly familiar with the songs “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You.” You are aware that these are among her best-known compositions. What you may not be aware of is that these two songs were written in a single night each.

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You would think that these most loved songs took forever to write; however, it seems, they only took less than 24 hours to compose. Despite this fact, the songs became hits and proof that Dolly is truly a country goddess. This is one of the things that sets her apart from anyone who has ever come even closer to her achievement.

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Honored by Scientists

Surprisingly, the first cloned sheep was called Dolly after the renowned singer who inspired the breed’s development. The explanation for this, on the other hand, is very unusual. Because the cloned sheep was generated from a mammary gland cell, the scientists decided to name it after Dolly Parton because they saw that Dolly had a large bust size, which they thought was appropriate.

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Consequently, this demonstrates the singer’s widespread fame and the fact that she is well-liked across the globe that even scientists choose to honor her. Her bust is not the only reason for this; she is also well-known for her ability to connect with people and appreciate the affection she gets.

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She Employs Many People in Her Old Town

Dolly Parton, in contrast to the majority of other well-known vocalists, acknowledges and cherishes her roots. Dolly has made significant contributions to the improvement of the lives of people in her community.

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When Dolly returned to her hometown, she hired a large number of people, including those working for her Dollywood project. Dollywood Park employs a large number of individuals from her hometown as well as the surrounding areas. When it comes to fulfilling goals, she has been motivated to assist the people of her community ever since she left home when she was 18 years old.

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