Dolly Parton’s Childhood Will Shock You: Life in a Shack with 14 Kids and Weekly Baths
Dolly Parton has been admired for many years for her positive attitude, talent, and kindness.
It’s not surprising that the 77-year-old star grew up in one of the most modest backgrounds we have ever heard about…
Dolly Parton has always been a modest celebrity. The singer-songwriter is famous for her business skills, her amazing singing, and her generosity. Her hard work and kindness have led her to great success in music, film, and television.
Her humble beginnings with her large family helped inspire her to become the star she is today.
Dolly, whose full name is Dolly Rebecca Parton, was born on January 19, 1946. The family lived in a one-bedroom cabin in Sevierville, Tennessee, on Locust Ridge, near the Great Smoky Mountains.
Her father, Robert Lee Parton, was a sharecropper who also did construction work to support his children. He could not read or write because he did not have much education.
Growing up with 11 siblings, Dolly faced many challenges. But she was always surrounded by music from a young age.
Avie Lee Owens, Parton’s mother, was a performer who taught her daughter how to sing. The family often sang together, and Owens taught her kids everything from church music to old ballads passed down through the years.
Dolly’s grandfather, Jake Robert Owens, was a minister and wrote the hymn “Singing His Praise.” Her uncle, Sam Owens, was a musician and songwriter who noticed Dolly’s talent at a young age.
Eventually, Dolly received a guitar from her uncle. Soon, she began to write her own songs.
“Music was such a big part of our whole family,” Parton remembered. “All of my mama’s family were musical. They all played some kind of instrument. I took my music very seriously and was always playing on someone’s instrument—whatever they left lying around or whenever my family visited. But I always loved the guitar.”
Dolly Parton has 11 siblings: Stella Mae, Cassie Nan, twins Freida Estelle and Rachel Ann, Willadeene, David Wilburn, Coy Denver, Bobby Lee, Robert, and Larry. Robert passed away in 2021 after fighting cancer, while Larry died as a newborn.
Being the fourth of 12 children, Dolly often helped her parents take care of the younger kids in their small home. The family shared one bedroom and one living room and had no electricity or running water.
The family’s log cabin is still there today, and Parton has always talked openly about her humble upbringing. This background has made her very understanding of the poor and has inspired much of her charity work.
In a 2016 interview with The Guardian, Parton talked about her life growing up in the countryside. She said,
“Of course, not everything was perfect, but I prefer to remember the best of times.”
She remembered singing at church, playing games with her siblings, and doing chores she didn’t like to help out. She also mentioned the many times her family shared laughter together.
Dolly explained that her siblings often sang, but they wouldn’t be her “backup” singers when she wanted to be the main star.
Their home was busy, but the love they shared made it special for the country music star.
Since their cabin was small, the family often played outside because there wasn’t enough room inside to cook or play games.
Despite their difficulties, Parton said her parents always reminded them how lucky they were to have a roof over their heads and food to eat. She remembered,
“We were poor, but I never felt poor.”
In a Playboy magazine interview with journalist Lawrence Grobel in March 1978, Parton shared that she didn’t see a toilet or other basic bathroom items until she was eight years old at her aunt’s house. She was amazed by them.
Without running water or a proper bathroom, the family couldn’t bathe very often. They would make homemade soap and go to the nearby river to wash up.
Parton remembered how much of their homemade soap would wash away in the river and how dirty the children would get. She said they would leave a ring around the Little Pigeon River, comparing their river bath to a “bathtub.”
In the winter, it would be too cold or icy to use the river, so the family would save a pan of water to use carefully. When Grobel asked how many times she and her family would bathe in winter, Parton answered,
“Well, we bathed once a week whether we needed it or not, as the saying goes.”
As she got older, bathing became more important. In high school, Dolly tried to wash up almost every night, noticing how the younger children behaved. She said,
“The kids peed on me every night. We slept three or four in the bed. I would wash every night. And as soon as I went to bed, the kids would wet on me, and I’d have to get up in the morning and do the same thing.”
Parton didn’t seem disgusted when telling her story, explaining that this situation actually provided extra warmth in the winter.
Remembering her difficult childhood, Parton has made it her mission to help people who are less fortunate. She gives away millions of dollars every year, always keeping her family in mind.
Her desire to help others comes from the love she has for her family. She said,
“My family will always be my greatest love. Sometimes it gets lost in the shuffle, but there’s an element of family in everything I do.”
In 2022, Forbes estimated Parton’s net worth at $375 million, making her a self-made millionaire. Her theme park, Dollywood, and her ownership of her song rights are the main reasons for her great fortune.
She uses a lot of that money to support various causes, from animal welfare to childhood literacy. The star also performs at charity events and tries to use her influence to help people in need in any way she can.
We are inspired by how Dolly Parton maintained her faith and remembered her humble beginnings as she became famous. It’s wonderful to see how much she has helped the world, having experienced the challenges of poverty at a young age.
What are your thoughts on Dolly’s upbringing? Share with us in the comments!
