Parton's inspiration is a small French bulldog named Billy. Courtesy of Dolly Parton hide caption
Dolly Parton Dolly Parton artist page: interviews, features and/or performances archived at NPR Music
Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton, left, and Miley Cyrus perform "Jolene" at the 61st annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 10, 2019. Matt Sayles/Matt Sayles/Invision/AP hide caption
Singer-songwriter Dolly Parton is the latest celebrity to receive a $100 million gift from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, to be used for charitable purposes. Parton is seen here at the recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Los Angeles. Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Singer Dolly Parton Performs at Agua Caliente Casino on January 24, 2014 in Rancho Mirage, California. Valerie Macon/Getty Images hide caption
Country music legend Dolly Parton, pictured here in March, announced the launch of "Doggy Parton" on Wednesday. The collection includes pet apparel and accessories, some featuring the singer's face. Kevin Winter/Getty Images for ACM hide caption
Pat Benatar in Paris on January 12th, 1983. Dolly Parton on 'Dolly,' in 1987. Lionel Richie at the American Music Awards, 1985. Patrick Aventurier/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images/ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images hide caption
Dolly Parton and James Patterson pose for a picture in August 2021. Their new novel, Run, Rose, Run, is about an aspiring country singer in Nashville. Dolly Parton hide caption
'Dreams do still come true' in a new novel by Dolly Parton and James Patterson
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has declined Dolly Parton's request to pull her nomination from this year's nominee list. Here, Parton presents an award at the Academy of Country Music Awards on March 7. John Locher/AP hide caption
Dolly Parton arrives at the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards on Monday, March 7, 2022, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Parton announced that she is withdrawing her nomination from the 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class of inductees. Eric Jamison/AP hide caption
Dolly Parton removes herself from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominations
Audio for this story is unavailable.
Dolly Parton performs on the main Pyramid stage at Glastonbury music festival, England on June 29, 2014. Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP hide caption
Lil Nas X on BBC Radio 1. YouTube hide caption
Mickey Guyton's roséwave playlist features Destiny's Child, Maren Morris, India.Arie and Tenille Townes. Bonnie Nichoalds/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Singer-songwriter Dolly Parton's persona has taken on an almost saint-like manifestation in recent years, writes Amanda Marie Martinez. Ron Davis/Getty Images hide caption
Dolly Parton attends MusiCares Person of the Year honoring her in 2019. Rich Fury/Getty Images for NARAS hide caption
Dolly Parton, pictured performing in May 2014, shared a video of herself getting her first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday. Wade Payne/Invision/via AP hide caption
Dolly Parton says she was offered the honor by the Trump administration but was unable to accept. Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Nick Nolte and Mac Davis in a scene from the film North Dallas Forty from 1979. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images hide caption
So why isn't Dolly Parton in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? Fairfax Media Archives/Getty Images hide caption
WNYC's new podcast, Dolly Parton's America, examines the role of the country icon in building social bridges in a divided country. Christine de Carvalho/WNYC hide caption
Kristin Chenoweth's album For the Girls is out now. Krista Schlueter/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
"I think country is as vibrant as certainly this series that we've just made tries to chronicle," Ken Burns says. Amy Sussman/Getty Images hide caption