75-year-old musician Dolly Parton rose to fame back in 1967 with her debut studio album Hello, I'm Dolly. Since then, Dolly has been a staple in the country music industry and as of today, she has released 51 studio albums. Besides music, Dolly has also explored the movie industry and fans could see the diva in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Rhinestone, Steel Magnolias, and Straight Talk.
Today, we're bringing you some fun facts about the star that you probably didn't know — and if you did you're surely a super-fan! From having her own amusement park to being a famous former Disney Channel star's godmother — keep on scrolling to find out more about the country music legend!
10 Dolly Wrote And Sung The Original Version Of "I Will Always Love You"
While it was the late Whitney Houston's cover that made the song an international hit in 1992, what many may not know is that the song was actually originally written and sung by none other than Dolly Parton. Dolly recorded the song in June 1973 and she released it in March 1974. "I Will Always Love You" was written about Dolly's former business partner and mentor of seven years, Porter Wagoner.
9 The Cloned Sheep Dolly Was Named After Her
The world's first successfully cloned mammal was born on July 5, 1996, and yes — it was named after Dolly Parton. The sheep ended up carrying the famous country star's name because the scientists working on it certainly seemed to be Dolly fans. Dr. Wilmut who worked on the cloning revealed:
"Dolly is derived from a mammary gland cell and we couldn't think of a more impressive pair of glands than Dolly Parton's."
8 She Has An Amusement Park Called Dollywood
Another thing that many may not know about Dolly Parton is that the country music legend actually has her very own amusement park.
Dollywood is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and it opened its doors for the public in 1986. Frankly, we can't think of many celebs who have their very own amusement parks — so this fact is certainly very impressive!
7 Dolly Is Miley Cyrus' Godmother
Next on the list is the fact that the musician is actually Miley Cyrus' godmother. The country music legend and the former Disney Channel star certainly have a very close relationship and those who have seen Hannah Montana will probably remember that Dolly even had a couple of appearances on the show. In 2010 the two musicians even perform Dolly's hit "Jolene" together at the Dollywood theme park!
6 There Is A Statue Of The Musician In Her Hometown Sevierville, Tennessee
Another fun fact about the country music star is that she actually has her very own statue in her hometown Sevierville, Tennessee. It's safe to say that not many musicians can claim they have a statue built in their honor — and anyone who visits the smalltown in Tennessee should certainly pay this cultural site a visit as well.
5 The Diva Entered A Dolly Parton Look-Alike Contest — And She Lost
Years ago Dolly Parton actually entered a look-alike contest which she — to everyone's surprise — didn't win. Of course, nobody knew Dolly was actually participating, and here's what the country star had to say about her experience:
"They had a bunch of Chers and Dollys that year, so I just over-exaggerated — made my beauty mark bigger, the eyes bigger, the hair bigger, everything. All these beautiful drag queens had worked for weeks and months getting their clothes. So I just got in the line and I just walked across… but I got the least applause."
4 The Musician Wakes Up at 3 A.M.
Another surprising thing about the famous country star is that she actually wakes up extremely early. Yes, Dolly Parton has revealed that she tends to get up at 3 AM most of the days and according to her that's when she is the most creative:
“I’m a very, very, very early riser. I go to bed pretty early, but I’m up and down. If I wake up and I’m pretty well awake, I think, I’ve got so much to do, I’ll get up and I’ll work a little while, write a little while, and I’ll lay back down. I do some of my best spiritual work, some of my best writing, and some of my business work—call-ins and letters that I’m writing or whatever—between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m.”
3 And She Sleeps With Her Makeup On
One thing that beauty addicts and dermatologists across the globe are probably cringing at is the fact that the country star goes to bed with her makeup on. Dolly actually revealed that she washes her face and removes her makeup in the morning — and here's why:
"I clean my face in the mornings. You never know if you're going to wreck the bus, you never know if you're going to be somewhere in a hotel and there's going to be a fire. So I leave my makeup on at night and clean my face in the morning."
2 Dolly Has Her Own Cookbook — 'Dolly's Dixie Fixin's: Love, Laughter And Lots of Good Food'
While we all know that Dolly Parton is an incredible musician who has also had quite a few acting gigs — what some may not know about the country music star is that she absolutely loves cooking. In 2006 Dolly published her very own cookbook titled Dolly's Dixie Fixin's: Love, Laughter And Lots of Good Food, and needless to say that it includes plenty of southern specialty recipes!
1 And Lastly, Dolly's Parents Paid For Her Birth With A Sack Of Oatmeal
Finally, wrapping the list up is the fact that Dolly Parton has certainly made her way to fame and wealth. Yes, the super-popular country music star was born into poverty and her parents had to pay for her delivery with a sack of oatmeal — because they didn't have anything else. As Dolly's fans know, the musician has 11 siblings and her family certainly struggled financially!