Photograph of Dolly Parton at age 5 in 1951.,Image: 1128476861, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: **Not for sale in: USA, Brazil, Mexico**, Model Release: no
Image: 983507633, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no
Photograph of Dolly Parton (upper right in the back) and family at Christmas in 1960.,Image: 1128476836, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: **Not for sale in: USA, Brazil, Mexico**, Model Release: no
Los Angeles, CA - Dolly Parton opens up on her career and personal life during ABC special interview. Parton, 73, did not shy away from being her authentic self in her sit-down interview with Robin Roberts for Dolly Parton: Here She Comes Again! Parton spoke from Dollywood, her theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, ahead of the Country Music Association Awards as Parton will be a special guest host. Parton kicked off the chat by talking about the day she left home to pursue her music career. "Well, I graduated high school on a Friday night, and headed out on a Saturday morning. As I make jokes about it with my matching luggage, those four paper bags from the same grocery store," Parton said. "I thought: 'Well I can't be any poorer than I already am, and I'm a girl. I'll find some boy that'll take me to Shoney's'. I thought: 'I'm not going to go hungry'." Parton also revealed the secret to a long-lasting marriage. "Stay gone," she said laughing. "Actually there's a lot of truth in not being together all the time." Parton has been married to her husband Carl Dean for 53 years but he is rarely seen in public. "He likes his privacy," Parton, adding that it has led to some interesting reports over the years. "In the tabloids, they've had pictures of my bus driver saying that was my husband. I've had about five husbands in the tabloids. I've only had one for real, but he gets a kick out of some of them," she said. Parton also explained why her 1968 smash hit Just Because I'm a Woman became an important song for women of the time. "The song is about men, you know, wanting to use all these women," she said. "And then when they want to get married, they want a virgin and they want to do this and that. It was a number one song here and it was one of the first." Parton also opened up on never giving up her dream to open Dollywood in the 1980s. "My lawyers, and my accountants and a lot of people that I was working with at the time said I was making a big mistake," she said. "But I just knew it was right and I got rid of all those people, started over with new people that did believe in my dreams." Finally she spoke about her 'organized hoarding' and why she can't bring herself to throw away anything from her fans. "You should see my house," she said. "I got big bins, storage bins of clothes and things that fans give me. I had a whole warehouse called the Arts and Crap building, because I can't throw anything away because I know how much people spent time on it."
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BACKGRID UK 13 NOVEMBER 2019,Image: 482630186, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: RIGHTS: WORLDWIDE EXCEPT IN UNITED STATES, Model Release: no , Pictured: Dolly Parton, Carl Dean
Mourners pay their respects to Dolly Parton after the announcement of her passing, at the Dolly Parton Statue in downtown Sevierville, Tennessee, U.S., August 25, 2026. Picture taken with a mobile phone. REUTERS/Kevin Fogarty Photo: KEVIN FOGARTY/REUTERS
Dolly Parton pauses to pose for a photo, as she signs autographs for fans in her booth at Municipal Auditorium during Fan Fair activities in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. June 10, 1976. Dan Loftin/USA Today Network via REUTERS. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Photo: Dan Loftin/REUTERS
Host Dolly Parton has the other stars join her during her hand-clapping country anthem to starts the 22nd annual CMA Awards show at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. October 10, 1988. Callie Shell/USA Today Network via REUTERS. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY Photo: Callie Shell/REUTERS
FILE PHOTO: Dolly Parton accepts the Tex Ritter Award during the 51st Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada April 3, 2016. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo Photo: MARIO ANZUONI/REUTERS
FILE PHOTO: Actress and singer Dolly Parton arrives at the Hollywood premiere of "Joyful Noise" in Los Angeles, California January 9, 2012. REUTERS/Gus Ruelas (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT HEADSHOT PROFILE)/File Photo Photo: GUS RUELAS/REUTERS
FILE PHOTO: Dolly Parton performs at the 37th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Los Angeles, California, U.S., November 6, 2022. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo Photo: MARIO ANZUONI/REUTERS
FILE PHOTO: American country music star Dolly Parton performs on the Pyramid Stage at Worthy Farm in Somerset, during the Glastonbury Festival June 29, 2014. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton (BRITAIN - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)/File Photo Photo: Cathal McNaughton/REUTERS
FILE PHOTO: Dolly Parton attends the 57th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., March 7, 2022. REUTERS/Maria Alejandra Cardona TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY/File Photo Photo: MARIA ALEJANDRA CARDONA/REUTERS
