Everyone has heard at least one country song, whether it is being blasted at a pool or randomly put on in the car. Country music has a way of being popular with both young and old audiences. While many have heard country music, not a lot of people know about the singers, besides one. This singer single-handedly flipped the idea of country music, changing the genre forever, and becoming one of the most iconic names in America. This is Dolly Parton. 

Dolly Parton was born on Jan. 19, 1946, in a town called Locust Ridge, Tennessee. Parton’s father claimed that Dolly was singing before she was speaking– she started to sing at only 6 years old in her grandfather’s church and by 7 she knew how to play the guitar. She was always surrounded by the music in church and the country music on her radio. This sparked an interest in Parton about the unique sound that country has compared to all other genres.

Parton’s first album called “Hello I’m Dolly” was released in 1967. Parton had a steady career as a solo artist and collaborator but it was only during the 1970s that she would become a big hit. Parton wanted to create something new for country music and believed that she could still make it different from others. Parton decided to add a variety of electric sounds and pop to her country music. Parton was a genius in making her sound unique compared to others, which ultimately caught people’s attention and is what drove them to her.

Even now Parton still is very active with her music as she just recently released her first-ever rock album! Her career and legacy are set in stone as one of the greats in country music as well as an incredible advocate for the health of the people around her. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she gave 1 million dollars to help fund research for a vaccine. Parton’s life is one of overcoming adversity, poverty, mental health issues, and being a woman in the music industry. She has been the inspiration for many women in not only the country industry but in the whole music industry.