Dolly Parton

Hello! My name is Dolly Parton. I want to tell you my story. I was born on January 19th, 1946, in a tiny one-room cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. I was the fourth of twelve children, so our little home was always full of love and laughter. We didn't have much money, but we had music. My mama sang old songs, and I made my first guitar from an old mandolin and some banjo strings. Music was my way of dreaming.

I started singing for anyone who would listen. When I was just 10 years old, I began performing on local radio and television shows in Knoxville, Tennessee. The day after I graduated from high school in 1964, I packed my cardboard suitcase and moved to Nashville, the home of country music. It was a big, scary step, but I knew I had to follow my heart and my songs.

In Nashville, I worked hard writing songs for other singers, and soon I started singing them myself. A very special dream came true in 1969 when I was asked to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry, a famous country music show. I wrote songs about my life, like 'Coat of Many Colors,' and other songs you might know, like 'Jolene' and 'I Will Always Love You,' which I released in 1974. I love being on stage with my sparkly outfits and big hair, sharing my music with the world.

Growing up, we didn't have many books in our house. My daddy couldn't read or write, and I saw how hard that was for him. I wanted to make sure that every child could have books of their own and learn to love reading. So, in 1995, I started a special program called the Imagination Library. We mail free books to children all over the world, from the day they're born until they start school. It's one of the things I'm most proud of.

I'm still writing songs, singing, and working to make the world a little brighter. I want to remind everyone that you can come from a little cabin in the mountains and still make your biggest dreams come true. Just find what you love, work hard, and be kind along the way.