WTW’s favorite songs: Love is Like a Butterfly, Shine, Help!, When Life is Good Again

Dolly Rebecca Parton was born in Locust Ridge, TN on January 19, 1946 as the fourth child of twelve kids in a one-room cabin. She grew up in a musical family and was a destined performer since singing in Church at 6 years old. At the age of 13, she made her first single (puppy love) and made her first appearance at the Grand Ole Opry. Her big success came in 1967 when she became a regular performer on Porter Wagoner’s TV and radio show. She left Porter’s show in 1974 with a series of #1 solo hits like “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” (Both written in the same songwriting session) and “Love Is Like a Butterfly”. Her popularity grew in pop culture after 1976 as she slowly transitioned into pop music with songs like “Two Doors Down”, “Here You Come Again” and “9 to 5” written for her first movie role “9 to 5” in 1980. In 1986, Dolly wanted to give back to her Eastern Tennessee Community and opened up Dollywood (Formerly Silver Dollar City) bringing a world class theme park to the Pigeon Forge Community. The next year, Dolly was country again making the “Trio” album with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt gaining them a Grammy for Best Duo or Group. 1999, Dolly was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and made her first bluegrass album making 5 in total through out the years. The next big milestone came in 2022, when Dolly was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and was inducted into the hall the same year and declared she’s no longer touring. 2023, Dolly proved she was a rockstar by releasing her “Rockstar” album filled with rock covers with collabs from The remaining Beatles, Elton John, Sherly Crow, and others.

Other notable achievements is the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Foundation which has donated more than 280 Million free books across the world. She’s also personally donated millions of her own money to multiple causes from the Covid-19 Moderna Vaccine to Hurricane Helene relief.
Dolly Parton is the most honored female country singer of all time gaining 26 #1 hits on the billboard, 11 Grammys, 3 AMA awards, 10 CMA awards, has a bronze sculpture of herself in her home town of Sevierville TN, her own Hollywood Star, received the Living Legend Medal by the US Library of Congress, the National Medal of Arts, Kennedy Center Honors, and is inducted in 19 Hall of Fames from Songwriters Hall of Fame to International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Hall of Fame.

Over this long career, Miss Parton has written more than 3,000 songs and sold over 100 million records in over 7 decades.
(Please check her wiki for everything i missed)