Dolly Parton Reveals Sacrifices She Made For Career
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger
Dolly Parton has been entertaining fans for nearly sixty years. She made her debut at the Grand Ole Opry at just 13 years old. She was on The Porter Wagoner Show for seven years before she went solo and has never regretted it. Dolly Parton has, however, spent the last few years looking back on her legacy. She holds the record for most number-one hits than any other female country singer. But her success didn’t come without sacrifice.
Dolly Parton Reveals Sacrifices She Made For Career
Dolly Parton has won eleven Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011. She’s also been nominated for an Oscar in the Best Original Song category twice, once for the now-iconic hit “9 to 5” from the 1981 movie she co-starred in.
In 2023, she fulfilled her dream of being a rock star with an album of rock covers. Rock Star featured rock anthems like Prince’s “Purple Rain” and Queen’s “We Are The Champions.” Dolly Parton welcomed Beyoncé to country music with open arms, though a lot of fans didn’t love the pop singer’s updated “Jolene” cover.
Dolly Parton grew up poor in rural Tennessee with her eleven siblings. She never forgot her roots and operates the Dollywood amusement park close to where she grew up. Next year the singer’s life story will make its Broadway debut. But that’s not all. A new exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame features real-life keepsakes from Dolly Parton’s long career. She was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.
Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker runs through 2026. She gave a speech at the opening of the exhibit. She talked about the sacrifices she made to be successful. The “I Will Always Love You” singer has said in the past that she and her late husband, Carl Dean, never had kids because she was focused on her career.
But other areas of her life suffered in her quest for fame.
“I’ve sacrificed time with family and friends… I gave up vacations for work without end. Twenty-four seven, 365, but I was willing to make that sacrifice,” she said.
The singer added, “But empty or full, I’ve carried my pain. But you don’t drink the water if you don’t dig the well.”
Despite the sacrifices, she doesn’t regret any of it for a second.
“Grindstones and rhinestones have made up my life, and you ask, ‘Was it worth the sacrifice?’ Well, I reckon it was because I’m here tonight,” – Dolly Parton, Country Music Hall of Fame exhibit opening.
How She Avoided Temptations
Dolly Parton has been around fame for over six decades. But you’ve never heard stories of her turning to drugs or alcohol to deal with the cost of fame.
In her moving speech, she created God for keeping her on a straight and narrow path. “If you don’t keep yourself contained, it’s easy to fall into places. Like a lot of people do with drugs and alcohol, or any number of things. And I really leaned heavy on my faith. I remember just feeling guilty because I wasn’t staying as close to my spiritual roots as I felt I should have.”
Don’t miss the Dolly Parton exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
@countrymusichof Thank you, @Dolly Parton, for sharing your story—and your excitement—with us. The exhibit is open now through September 2026.
