Country legend Dolly Parton has proven herself in the music business and in the hardships of life. The 69-year-old singer-songwriter opens up about her childhood and an upcoming TV movie based on her life story.
Parton is the fourth child of twelve children living in Sevier County, Tennessee, where her family lived in a one-room cabin. She described the state of poverty that they had as being "dirt poor." She started singing at the church of her grandfather who was a preacher, where she developed her love for music.
At age eight, she received her first guitar. At 13, she started recording songs. She also met another country legend, Johnny Cash, at the Grand Ole Opry, who gave her advise that she should follow her instincts when it comes to career choices.
She moved to Nashville after graduating highschool and got her first publishing deal as a songwriter for Combine Publishing. Years after, she earned multiple awards for her work in music and as a humanitarian. She claimed to have written around 3,000 songs in total. These include the classic "I Will Always Love You," which became the biggest hit for Whitney Houston, and the song "Jolene," which is still covered by a lot of artists until today.
Parton was interviewed by Entertainment Tonight where she said, "I think my childhood made me everything I am today." Dolly grew up in extreme poverty. "I would trade nothing for being brought up in the Great Smoky Mountains. I've never been ashamed of my people no matter how poor or dirty we might have been. I've always loved being from where I am, and having the folks that I've had," she added.
Her favorite song, "Coat of Many Colors," will be the title of an upcoming TV movie based on her life. Eight-year old Alivia Alyn Lind will be playing the young Dolly Parton set in 1955 in Tennessee. She was handpicked by Parton to play the title role.
"Coat of Many Colors" will be premiering this Dec. 10 on NBC.
