Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean (January 19, 1946 – August 25, 2026) was an American singer-songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. Dubbed the "Queen of Country", Parton was one of the most honored country performers, earning eleven Grammy Awards and three Emmy Awards, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, six Golden Globes and a Tony Award. She was also known for her cultural influence and philanthropy via Dollywood and the Dollywood Foundation. With more than 100 million records sold, Parton is among the best-selling music artists of all time.

She wrote her first song aged six, performed regularly on TV by age 10, made her first recording at 11, and became a professional songwriter at 16. After writing hits for others, she released her debut album, Hello, I'm Dolly(1967), starting a nearly 60-year career. She released 49 studio albums and wrote more than 3,000 songs, including "I Will Always Love You" (a two-time U.S. country chart-topper and an international hit for Whitney Houston that sold 40 million copies worldwide), "Jolene", "Coat of Many Colors", and "9 to 5". Onscreen, she starred in 9 to 5 (1980) and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982), both earning Golden Globe nominations, plus Rhinestone (1984), Steel Magnolias (1989), Straight Talk (1992), and Joyful Noise (2012). On TV, she played Aunt Dolly in Hannah Montana(2006–2010), hosted Saturday Night Live(1989), and guest-starred on Reba (2005) and Grace and Frankie (2022). She produced and starred in Christmas on the Square (2021 musical film), winning a Primetime Emmy Award. On Broadway, she wrote the score for the musical 9 to 5 (2009) and will have her life depicted in Dolly: A True Original Musical(2026). Her music received Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) gold, platinum, and multi-platinum certifications. She logged 25 number-one Billboard country singles (tied with Reba McEntire for the most by a woman), 44 career top-10 country albums (a record for any artist), and 110 career-charted singles over 40 years. Her final solo studio album, Rockstar(2023), was her highest-charting album on the Billboard 200, debuting at number three. Her honors include the National Medal of Arts(2004), the Kennedy Center Honor (2006), and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award (2025).

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolly_Parton