CTK Mgmt/Dolly Records/WebsterPRBelieve it or not, today Dolly Parton officially turns 70. The universally famous entertainment icon was born January 19, 1946 in Sevier County, Tennessee, delivered at home by the rural doctor she’d later immortalize in song, Dr. Robert F. Thomas. She also helped start a foundation to improve healthcare in rural East Tennessee in his honor.
The eternally youthful entertainer shows no signs of slowing down, as her made-for-TV movie Coat of Many Colors ended 2015 as a ratings triumph for NBC. She next turns her attention to another feature based on her 1974 chart topper “Jolene.”
Though it’s been three decades since the “I Will Always Love You” composer achieved her dream of transforming Hollywood into Dollywood, last year the theme park mogul checked another item off her bucket list, opening the DreamMore Resort on the Pigeon Forge property and adding 2,000 jobs in the area. In 2016, she’ll celebrate Dollywood’s 30th anniversary.
While we haven’t had any new music from the Country Music Hall of Famer since 2014, it’s a safe bet there’s some in the works — and it’s worth noting that 2014’s Blue Smoke was one of her most successful albums ever, debuting in the top ten on Billboard‘s all-genre chart.
This May, Dolly celebrates her fiftieth wedding anniversary with her seldom seen husband, Carl Dean. They’re likely to celebrate with one of their favorite past times — climbing in their RV and ordering fast food at the drive through.
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