In November 2007 the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars of the Smithsonian Institution honored Dolly with the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service in recognition of her civic work in regard to children's literacy.
In Poker, a hole card combination of a 9 and a 5 is called a "Dolly Parton", named after the song and movie, Nine to Five (1980).
In September 2002 she was named Tennessee's official ambassador for film and music by Gov. Don Sundquist. Her job is to promote the state to industry executives in Hollywood and raise awareness of Tennessee's capability to produce television, film, and recording projects (soundtracks) for Hollywood productions.
Inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry on February 4, 1969.
Inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame (Nashville, TN) in 2009.
Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001. (not to be confused with the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame).
Is partly of Irish decent.
Lost a Dolly Parton Look-Alike Contest.
Measurements: 40DD-20-36 (definitive self-described figure in 1994), 48DD-25-38 (self-described in March 1993),42-19-34 (by her designer in 1990), 44-26-38 (in Italy's "Novella 2000" in 1985), salesperson at Frederick's Of Hollywood in 1985 confided she purchases black push-up bras in size 36DD, 42-26- 39 (reported in "Parade" Feb. 8, 1981), "The Book Of People" in 1981 reported 39- 25-39, 44-28 1/2-38 1/2 (reported in 1980), 46E-27-39 (at her heaviest 150#+ in late 1970s), 38-26-36 (according to the "Nashville Banner" in 1972), (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)
Met her future husband, Carl Dean, at a laundromat.
On August 1, 2007 it was announced she would be starting her own record label, Dolly Records. She is the only artist signed to the label. This is Parton's second record label launch. In 1994 she and producer Steve Buckingham launched Blue Eye Records which Dolly was also the only artist on the roster. The Blue Eye Records imprint appeared on every Parton solo CD from 1994-2006. Dolly Records first release will be Parton's February 2008 CD, "Backwoods Barbie". Dolly personally finances her recordings and then leases the finished albums to other labels for distribution. For her Dolly Records label, she will also take on the responsibility of marketing her CD releases personally and major label partners will only handle distribution of the projects.
On August 9, 1995 Dolly Parton was awarded the Outstanding Service to Youth Award from the Tennessee District - Optimist International.
On December 31, 2006, Parton was named by the Tennessean newspaper as 2006 Tennessean of the Year for her work with children's literacy. The newspaper has been naming a Tennessean of the Year since 1994.
On January 9, 2012, Parton was interviewed by Queen Latifah as part of Cinemax's "60 Seconds With" program. The interview spot was done as part of the promotional campaign for the two's film 'Joyful Noise (2012)'.
On March 25, 2007 she was entered into London's Wembley Square of Fame with the unveiling of a plaque of her handprints. The presentation was made before her sold-out concert that night at the Wembley Arena.
One of 12 children; grew up in a 1-room cabin in Tennessee.
Owner/namesake of Smokey Mountain area theme park, "Dollywood", located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, USA.
Purchased her hometown radio stations in Sevierville, Tennessee in 1991. She owned and operated WSEV 930 AM and WDLY 105.5 FM, the FM station billed as 'Dolly's Station', until 2000 when she sold both radio stations. Stating at that time that she and her business partners had built up the audiences for both stations and could not take the stations to "the next level". Dolly first appeared on WSEV-AM when she as 10 years old. While owning the radio stations, WDLY-FM was broadcast every operating day from Dolly's Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The small section of the park dedicated to the radio broadcast was known as 'Radio Square'.
Ranked #34 on VH1's Greatest Women of Rock N Roll
Ranked #4 on the 40 Greatest Women in Country Music, #3 Loretta Lynn, #2 Tammy Wynette, and #1 Patsy Cline.