Dolly Parton Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Dolly Parton Net Worth (Money & Salary)
September 28, 2024
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Discovering Dolly Parton’s net worth
An American singer, songwriter, actress, author, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, Dolly Parton boasts a net worth of $650 million. With over 50 years in the industry, she has consistently delivered hit country songs, accumulating a remarkable track record of 41 top 10 country albums and 25 #1 singles.
Recognizable for classics like “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You,” popularized by Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard, Dolly has sold over 100 million solo artist albums, apart from the numerous sales her songwriting prowess has garnered.
Dolly’s investments in Tennessee include Dollywood, the 24th most-visited US theme park, with an annual footfall of 3 million visitors. Her philanthropic endeavors have seen her donate and raise millions for various charitable causes.
The Early Life of Dolly Parton
Sevier County, Tennessee, saw the birth of Dolly Rebecca Parton in 1946, the fourth of twelve children in a family grappling with poverty. Her father, a tobacco farmer, famously paid the doctor who delivered Dolly with a bag of oatmeal. Music was a constant in her life, with early performances often centered around church venues. At just 9 years old, Dolly appeared on The Cas Walker Show, later signing with the Louisiana label Goldband Records. She wasted no time after graduating high school in 1964, promptly moving to Nashville to kickstart her songwriting career, collaborating with her.
Triumphs in Dolly’s Career
At age 19, Dolly inked a deal with Monument Records in 1965, initially being marketed as a bubblegum pop artist. Her pivot to country music was inevitable after a country song she had written hit #6 on the charts when performed by Bill Phillips. Dolly’s first solo country single, “Dumb Blonde,” peaked at #24, swiftly followed by “Something Fishy” at #17, both featuring on her debut studio album, “Hello, I’m Dolly” (1967).
Her career saw a significant upturn upon joining Porter Wagoner on his eponymous show, leading to a fruitful partnership. Collaborating with Wagoner led to 13 studio albums and numerous chart-topping singles. “Jolene,” released in 1973, marked a turning point in her solo success. Dolly’s venture into songwriting further blossomed with iconic pieces like “I Will Always Love You,” a heartfelt ode to her professional partnership’s closure with Porter Wagoner.
The Influence of Porter Wagoner
Welcomed onto Porter Wagoner’s show, Dolly’s talent didn’t go unnoticed, resulting in a label deal with RCA Victor. Porter, instrumental in her rise, not only produced her albums but also held a stake in Owe-Par, her publishing company.
Recording duets like “Please Don’t Stop Loving Me,” their partnership flourished, culminating in chart-topping hits and a successful 13-album run. Dolly’s independent success soared after the release of “Jolene,” establishing her as a formidable force in the music industry.
(Photo by Valerie Macon/Getty Images)
The Legacy of “I Will Always Love You”
Dolly’s masterpiece, “I Will Always Love You,” penned in 1973, pays homage to her partnership with Porter Wagoner. Despite offers from Elvis, she chose her solo route, resulting in consecutive chart-topping success with the song, cemented by Whitney Houston’s emotive rendition. The cultural impact of “I Will Always Love You” echoes across generations, an enduring testament to Dolly Parton’s songwriting prowess.
In the climax scene of the movie, when Costner agreed with the feedback, he decided that the song Whitney should sing is “I Will Always Love You,” which spent 14 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of the ten best-selling singles of all time with over 20 million copies shipped. Whitney’s version is the best-selling single by a female artist of all time.
Royalties
Thanks to Whitney’s version, Dolly earned $10 million in royalties in the early 1990s, approximately $20 million after adjusting for inflation. She humorously mentioned that she made “enough money to buy Graceland” from the song. Even today, as the holder of the writing and publishing rights, Dolly earns around 8 cents per radio play and $2 per album sold.
Pop Stardom and Acting Career
Throughout 1974 to 1980, Dolly continued to achieve chart-topping country hits, with eight singles reaching #1. She hosted her own variety show from 1976 to 1977. In her self-produced 1977 album “New Harvest… First Gathering,” she included pop songs and production, covering R&B classics “My Girl” and “Higher and Higher.” Moreover, in 1980, Dolly starred in the movie “9 to 5” alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. She wrote and sang the movie’s title track, which earned her an Academy Award nomination and four Grammy nominations. Dolly won the Grammys for Best Country Song and Best Country Vocal Performance.
In addition to “9 to 5,” Dolly appeared in notable films like 1982’s “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” 1984’s “Rhinestone,” 1989’s “Steel Magnolias,” and 2012’s “Joyful Noise.”
Suzanne Cordeiro/AFP/Getty Images
Personal Life
In 1966, Dolly married Carl Thomas Dean, who avoids the limelight. Dean largely focused on running an asphalt road-surface-paving business in Nashville and seldom attended public events with his wife. According to Parton, Carl witnessed her perform publicly only ONCE.
Dolly and Dean were involved in raising several of Dolly’s younger siblings. Even though she doesn’t have children of her own, she actively participates in her nieces’ and nephews’ lives and serves as the godmother to performer Miley Cyrus.
Tennessee Mansion
In Brentwood, Tennessee, Dolly owns a large 60+ acre estate named Willow Lake Plantation, featuring a 23-room mansion as the primary residence.
Data is from 2023 and 2024 and forecast data is for 2025 and 2026. We also expand the forecast data to 2027 and 2028. Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Europe, North America, Australia (Oceania), Middle East, South America.
* This information was taken from various sources around the world, including these countries:
Australia, Canada, USA, UK, UAE, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Indonesia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, US, United Kingdom, United States of America, Malaysia, U.S., South Africa, New Zealand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates.
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan.
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bouvet Island, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi.
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling Islands), Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Croatia (Hrvatska), Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic.
Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, Metropolitan, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories.
Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Heard and McDonald Islands, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy.
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg.
Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar.
Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, New Zealand (NZ), Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway.
Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe.
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Helena, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Sudan, Suriname, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria.
Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates (UAE), UK (United Kingdom), USA (United States of America, U.S.), US Minor Outlying Islands.
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City State (Holy See), Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands (British), Virgin Islands (US), Wallis and Futuna Islands, Western Sahara, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Dolly Parton Net Worth (Money & Salary)
