There is simply no denying the legendary status that Dolly Parton holds. Everyone—and we truly do mean everyone—can recite the lyrics of at least one Dolly song on command. 

Super fans even know the lines from many of her movies. (Bonus points if you can name her Christmas movies, too!) All this to say, Dolly is an idol to many people. 

Which makes it crazy to think about how the Queen of Country got her start. That’s why we created a list of Dolly’s life in photos!

The country legend came from humble beginnings in Tennessee, and was catapulted to fame after landing a spot on The Porter Wagoner Show in 1967. 

Her big hair and even bigger personality made her memorable, plus she was a natural entertainer. 

She’s obviously beloved for the songs like “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You,” but fans are equally obsessed her films like Nine to Five and Steel Magnolias. 

In her many years in the industry, she has earned nominations for an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award. Pretty impressive!

Dolly once said,“My dream was to make as many people happy as I could in this life,” and she has achieved that in spades. Whether she’s serving up romance advice from her long-lasting marriage to husband Carl Dean, or helping us get through a rough patch through her beloved albums, Dolly has certainly made this world better. So let’s celebrate all things Dolly by taking a look back at photos of her incredible career.

How sweet is little Dolly?! She was around 9 years old when this portrait was taken.

Whooee! This towering display of her blonde locks must have taken a lot of hairspray.

Dolly joined Porter Wagoner for a performance in the late sixties. The two were partners for more than seven years before they parted ways.

The famous quote “The higher the hair, the closer to God” is often attributed to Dolly. It’s unclear whether she really said it, but she certainly lived it!

The hairpiece, the hoops, the fierce sweatshirt—this outfit is a total hit in our books.

This is the year that Dolly released her 9th studio album, Touch Your Woman. We were still early on into Dolly’s career, and she was already giving us countless hits!

We don’t know if we love the wide-leg pants or the bedazzled top more, but we want a replica of this for our own closets ASAP.

You’re looking at Dolly winning the CMA for Female Vocalist of the Year in 1975! This night marked one of many historic awards the icon has won.

The “Jolene” singer was loving life in her patterned jumpsuit topped off with a cozy looking crocheted shawl.

Dolly went the all-American red, white, and blonde route during a photoshoot at a Holiday Inn in Chicago.

This glamorous shot from a portrait session in 1978 proves Dolly has always been a ray of sunshine!

This is what it looks like when two legends get together. Dolly and comedian Carol Burnett teamed up for the TV special Dolly & Carol in Nashville to promote the singer’s 1978 album, Heartbreaker.

If a vest made of rhinestones is wrong, we don’t want to be right.

If there’s one thing Dolly is going to do, it’s sing! You can also count on catching her in the most bedazzled outfit there is. That’s just what we love about her!

Sydney suits her! Dolly looks sharp in a frilly plaid button-down and blazer after arriving for a vacation in Sydney, Australia.

A picture may say a thousand words, but the message behind this one is clear: Smile and wave! 😄 👋

We know all about her legendary love story with her husband, Carl, but we have to say she looks pretty good next to Sylvester Stallone at the premiere of their movie Rhinestone.

Dolly and her longtime friend, the late Kenny Rogers, performed in New York City in the mid ’80s.

Oh, what we would have done to be at the Rosemont Horizon in 1986! Imagine hearing Dolly singing her countless classics right in front of you.

The curly hair, chunky jewelry, and washed-out denim can only mean one thing: The ’80s were in full swing.

It’s only appropriate that Dolly is wearing bows here because this stunning portrait of her from a Steel Magnolias photo shoot is a gift.

Dolly relaxed her look in the early ’90s, swapping her jean jacket for a chic black dress with gold details.

God bless America…and Dolly Parton!

Dolly rocked a romantic ensemble during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

We love the navy mini dress she paired with a bright red lip when she returned to The Tonight Show a few years later.

Dolly entered the new millennium in style, showing up to the annual Academy of Country Music Awards luncheon in a head-to-toe pink power suit.

All our dreams came true when two of our favorite country stars—Dolly and Reba McEntire—joined forces on Reba.

The pale pink dress she wore to the Tony Awards featured a sheer top layer for extra glamour.

Dolly’s bedazzled rainbow dress is maybe our favorite thing she wore this decade.

Dolly looked as chic and classy as ever during a recent talk show appearance. We’ll have what she’s having, please.

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Source: Los Angeles Times