Dolly Parton, in full Dolly Rebecca Parton, (born January 19, 1946, Locust Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.), American country music singer, guitarist, and actress best known for pioneering the interface between country and pop music styles. Parton was born into a poor farming family, the fourth of 12 children. She displayed an aptitude and passion for music at an early age, and as a child she was a featured singer and guitarist on local radio and television shows in Knoxville, Tennessee. In 1964, immediately following her high-school graduation, she set out for Nashville to pursue a career in music. In Nashville Parton