Dolly Parton Net Worth (Money & Salary)

Dolly Parton’s net worth: What is it?

With a net worth of $650 million, Dolly Parton is an American singer, songwriter, actress, author, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. For more than 50 years, she has been writing and performing hit country songs. Up to now, she has released 41 albums that reached the top 10 in country music and has achieved 25 #1 singles.

Dolly is most famously recognized for her tracks “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You,” the latter of which was famously covered by Whitney Houston for the movie, The Bodyguard. Throughout her career, she has sold over 100 million albums as a solo artist, not counting the countless albums sold by other artists who performed her songs.

Largely, Dolly has dedicated significant portions of her wealth towards philanthropic endeavors and entrepreneurial projects in her home state of Tennessee. Dollywood, her theme park, is the 24th most-visited theme park in the United States, attracting 3 million visitors annually. Additionally, she has donated and/or raised hundreds of millions of dollars for a variety of charitable causes.

Early Life

Born Dolly Rebecca Parton in 1946 in Sevier County, Tennessee, she was the fourth of twelve siblings. Her father worked as a tobacco farmer, and she later recounted that her family lived in extreme poverty, recalling that her father compensated the doctor who delivered her with a bag of oatmeal. Music has always had a significant presence in her life, with many early performances occurring in church settings. At just 9 years old, Parton began appearing on The Cas Walker Show, afterward signing with a small Louisiana label, Goldband Records. Immediately after graduating high school in 1964, she set off for Nashville, where she quickly found success as a songwriter, collaborating with her uncle Bill Owens to create several chart-topping singles.

Success

At the age of 19 in 1965, Dolly became a signed artist with Monument Records. Initially, the label marketed her as a bubblegum pop singer. However, her early pop releases did not achieve notable success. Following one of her country tracks,

Bill Phillips, who performed it with Dolly providing harmony, the song reached #6 on the country charts, prompting Monument Records to finally abandon their pop aspirations for Dolly.

As a country artist, Dolly’s debut single “Dumb Blonde” climbed to #24 on the country chart, despite the fact that she did not pen this track. This song stands out as one of the few non-originals Dolly recorded during that time. Subsequently, her second single, “Something Fishy,” achieved #17 on the charts.

Both tracks were included in Dolly’s first studio album, “Hello, I’m Dolly,” released in 1967. The album showcased her renditions of several songs she had authored that had gained fame through other artists. It ultimately peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot Country Albums chart.

Porter Wagoner

In the same year, Dolly received an invitation to make frequent appearances on Porter Wagoner’s weekly syndicated program, “The Porter Wagoner Show.” Recognizing her talent and unrealized potential, Wagoner persuaded his label, RCA Victor, to sign Dolly onto their roster. He also assumed the role of her producer and acquired a 50% stake in Owe-Par, the publishing company she established with her uncle Bill Owens, which ensured he was heavily invested in her success.

The first single from her second studio album, “Just Because I’m a Woman,” released in 1968, was a duet with Porter.

Between 1968 and 1980, Porter and Dolly collaborated to produce 13 studio albums as a duo. Their partnership yielded 21 singles that charted in the country category, including the hit #1 single “Please Don’t Stop Loving Me.”

Sadly, after several years of difficulty, Dolly’s solo career finally gained momentum in 1973 with the release of “Jolene.” The single soared to #1 on the country chart in February 1974 and achieved significant success on international charts beyond the country genre. Rolling Stone would later rank “Jolene” as the 217th greatest song of all time in its list of 500. Dolly later mentioned that “Jolene” is the most frequently covered song among all her compositions.

Dolly transitioned away from Porter Wagoner in April 1974 for her solo career, although he continued to produce her music until 1975.

I Will Always Love You

Dolly initiated the writing of what would later be known as “I Will Always Love You” in 1973. This song served as a goodbye to Porter Wagoner, symbolizing the conclusion of their professional relationship spanning seven years. Elvis expressed interest in recording the piece, and Dolly contemplated this opportunity until Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker, demanded that she forfeit half of the song’s publishing rights, which led Dolly to decline and focus on creating her own solo rendition.

The song was released on March 18, 1974, and topped the Billboard country chart. Notably, it achieved #1 status on two separate occasions, including a re-recording in 1982 for the film “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.”

In 1991, after witnessing an early cut of the movie “The Bodyguard,” music producer Clive Davis—also known as Whitney Houston’s mentor—expressed disappointment in the film’s minimal showcase of Whitney’s musical abilities. Clive urged the producers, including

To discover a song for Whitney to perform during the movie’s climax, Kevin Costner sought to find the perfect fit. Following the feedback, Costner independently selected “I Will Always Love You” as the song. Whitney’s rendition topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 14 weeks and eventually became one of the ten best-selling singles ever, with more than 20 million copies sold. Notably, Whitney’s version remains the highest-selling single by a female artist to date.

Royalties

Thanks to Whitney’s cover, Dolly earned $10 million in royalties in the early 1990s, which translates to around $20 million when adjusted for inflation. She humorously remarked that she made “enough money to buy Graceland” from the song. As the holder of the writing and publishing rights, Dolly continues to receive approximately 8 cents per radio play and $2 for each album sold.

Pop Stardom and Acting Career

Dolly maintained her chart success in country music from 1974 to 1980, scoring eight #1 singles. Between 1976 and 1977, she hosted her own variety show. Her self-produced album in 1977, “New Harvest… First Gathering,” showcased pop songs and features, including R&B classics like “My Girl” and “Higher and Higher.”

In 1980, Dolly had a role in the film “9 to 5” alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, for which she also composed and performed the title track. The song “9 to 5” garnered Dolly an Academy Award nomination as well as four Grammy nominations, ultimately winning her the Grammys for Best Country Song and Best Country Vocal Performance.

Some of Dolly’s other noteworthy films include “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” (1982), “Rhinestone” (1984), “Steel Magnolias” (1989), and “Joyful Noise” (2012).

Personal Life

Dolly tied the knot with Carl Thomas Dean in 1966. Dean prefers to stay out of the spotlight, having spent most of his life managing an asphalt road-surface-paving business in Nashville. He seldom accompanies Dolly to public functions, and according to Parton, Carl has attended just one of her public performances.

Alongside Dean, Parton contributed to raising several of her younger siblings. Although she does not have children of her own, she takes an active role in the lives of her nieces and nephews and serves as the godmother to performer Miley Cyrus.

Tennessee Mansion

Dolly owns the expansive Willow Lake Plantation in Brentwood, Tennessee, which spans over 60 acres. The estate features a grand mansion comprising 23 rooms.