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Dolly Parton Net Worth (2023)

Dolly Parton’s Net Worth Is $670 Million

NameDolly Parton
Other NamesThe Queen of Country, Dolly Parton
Net Worth$670 million
BirthdayJanuary 19, 1946 in Pittman Center, TN
Zodiac SignCapricorn
Height5’0″

Early Life

Dolly Parton was born in Sevierville, Tennessee, on January 19, 1946. She was the fourth of twelve children born to Robert Lee Parton, a tobacco farmer, and Avie Lee Parton (née Owens). Dolly grew up in a poor family and her childhood was marked by hardship. Her parents were unable to afford proper clothing for their children, and Dolly often wore dresses made from feed sacks. Despite these challenges, Dolly’s family was close-knit and supportive, and she was surrounded by music from a young age.

Dolly began singing and playing guitar at the age of five, and she performed on local television and radio programs as a child. She dropped out of high school at the age of 13 to help support her family, but she continued to pursue her love of music. In 1964, at the age of 18, Dolly moved to Nashville to try to break into the music industry. She quickly gained recognition for her songwriting and singing ability.

How Much Does Dolly Parton Make From Music?  

Although initially marketed as a bubblegum pop artist, she eventually found success in country music, which was her true passion. Between 1974 and 1980, Dolly had eight singles reach #1. She became one of the era’s most popular performers. She also appeared on “The Porter Wagoner Show” and had her own variety shows throughout the ’70s and ’80s. In fact, her song “I Will Always Love You” is about her working relationship with Wagoner.

 Trivia: Dolly wrote her first song “Little Tiny Tassel Top” when she was five years old. She made her first guitar two years later using an old mandolin and two bass guitar strings.

Following her success on the show, Dolly hosted her own variety program, one called “Dolly!”, which aired in 1976-77, and another called “Dolly” (without the exclamation point), which aired in 1987-1988. Both shows enjoyed high ratings and featured guest appearances from huge stars like Tammy Wynette, Merle Haggard, Tyne Daly, Bruce Willis, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Tom Petty, Juice Newton, Tom Selleck, the Neville Brothers, Dudley Moore, and Oprah Winfrey. However, they each only lasted one season. 

Dolly Parton’s discography comprises 52 albums: 48 solo albums, two albums with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt, one with Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette, and one with Kenny Rogers. She has also released nine live albums, six soundtrack albums, one extended play, and approximately 222 compilation albums worldwide. 

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Dolly has released 25 #1 songs and 41 top-10 country albums throughout her career. She has scored more #1 singles than any female country artist in history and more top country albums than any other artist. She has also sold more than 100 million records worldwide, placing her among history’s top-earning female country artists

She also has over 10.4 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Her catalog of more than 3,000 songs is worth over $150 million

In 2019, Dolly signed a deal with Sony ATV Music Publishing to handle the rights to the entirety of her music, including massive hits “Jolene”, “9 to 5”, and “I Will Always Love You”. 

Dolly also brings in substantial revenue as a live performer. Her “Better Day” world tour in 2011 grossed $34 million and sold over 275,000 tickets. The tour began at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee, and concluded at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia. 

In 2013, she also embarked on the “Blue Smoke” world tour, which included over 40 venues across Europe, North America, and Australia. 

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Dolly is also a very successful songwriter and has written hits for many other artists. Her original material is frequently covered by other performers and featured in movies, which earns her additional royalties.

Trivia: Whitney Houston’s cover of Dolly’s classic “I Will Always Love You” became a major hit after it was featured in the 1992 film “The Bodyguard”. Dolly reportedly made $10 million in royalties, which she reinvested in a black community in Tennessee.

How Much Are Dolly Parton’s Business Ventures Worth?

Dolly enjoys a successful career in film and television. She began her career in television as a co-host on “The Porter Wagoner Show”, a country music variety program that featured skits, comedic interludes, and performances from the hosts and guests. Dolly’s appearances on the show from 1965 to 1974 helped build her public persona. She eventually left to pursue a career as a solo artist.

Dolly also ventured into film. She starred in the 1980 film “9 to 5”, which grossed over $103 million at the box office. It spawned a television show, which ran for five seasons, and a Broadway musical, with new music written by Dolly. 

Her filmography includes “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” (1982), “Rhinestone” (1984), “Steel Magnolias” (1989), “Straight Talk” (1992), and “Joyful Noise” (2012), among others. 

In 2019, she signed a global licensing deal with IMG to launch a lifestyle brand that would include fashion, jewelry, home goods, and accessories. Perhaps her most lucrative venture is her co-ownership of the Dollywood Company, which owns and operates her entertainment and hospitality businesses. Included in the portfolio are the Dollywood theme park, Splash Country water park, and multiple dinner theater venues. Dollywood employs about 4,000 people and is visited by three million people annually. According to a Tennessee Department of Transportation study, Dollywood has an economic impact of $1.8 billion. So, despite Dolly’s impressive music career, Dollywood represents the bulk of her net worth.

Trivia: Dollywood recently announced a new attraction: the Big Bear Mountain roller coaster. The ride will wind through mountains, tunnels, and even behind a waterfall. It will stretch nearly 4,000 feet and cost the park over $25 million.

What Other Assets Does Dolly Parton Own? 

Despite her wealth, Dolly Parton does not live a flashy lifestyle. She has lived with her husband Carl Dean in the same house in the Brentwood neighborhood of Nashville since 1999. They purchased the home for $400,000. It features a tennis court, swimming pool, chapel, and a farm. Even though the singer is known for her larger-than-life personality, her home is modest. 

Before owning their most recent residence, the couple spent 16 years living in another modest four-bedroom, two-bathroom Nashville home. The couple purchased it for $50,000 in 1980, then sold it for $140,000 in 1996. 

Trivia: The new owners of Parton and Dean’s first home relisted it in 2010 and kept it on the market for 12 years. It finally sold in 2021 for $849,000. 

Selected Discography

WorkRelease DateU.S. Sales
The Best of Dolly PartonNovember 9, 1970500,000
Here You Come AgainOctober 3, 19771,000,000
HeartbreakerJuly 17, 1978500,000
Great Balls of FireMay 28, 1979500,000
9 to 5 and Odd JobsNovember 17, 1980500,000
Greatest HitsSeptember 13, 19821,000,000
Once Upon a ChristmasOctober 29, 19842,000,000
TrioMarch 2, 19871,000,000
White LimozeenMay 30, 1989500,000
Home for ChristmasSeptember 11, 1990500,000
Eagle When She FliesMarch 7, 19911,000,000
Slow Dancing with the MoonFebruary 23, 19931,000,000
Honky Tonk AngelsNovember 2, 1993500,000
UltimateJune 3, 2003500,000
The Very Best of YouMarch 25, 2007

Notable Award Wins

YearNominee/WorkAwardCategory
1978New Harvest…First GatheringAmerican Music AwardsFavorite Country Album
1979Here You Come AgainGrammy AwardsBest Country Vocal Performance, Female
1982“9 to 5”Grammy AwardsBest Country Vocal Performance, Female & Best Country Song
1984“Islands in the Stream” (with Kenny Rogers)American Music AwardsFavorite Country Song
1988Trio (with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt)Grammy AwardsBest Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group
2000“After the Gold Rush” (with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt)Grammy AwardsBest Country Vocal Collaboration
2001The Grass Is BlueGrammy AwardsBest Bluegrass Album
2002“Shine”Grammy AwardsBest Female Country Vocal Performance
2011Dolly PartonGrammy AwardsGrammy Lifetime Achievement Award
2017“Jolene” (with Pentatonix)Grammy AwardsBest Country Duo/Group Performance
2020“God Only Knows” (with For King & Country)Grammy AwardsBest Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
2021“There Was Jesus” (with Zach Williams)Grammy AwardsBest Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song

Concert Tours

Tour NameTour Date
Halos & Horns TourJuly 2002 – December 2002
Hello, I’m Dolly TourOctober 2004 – December 2004
The Vintage TourAugust 2005 – December 2005
An Evening with Dolly PartonNovember 2006 – May 2007
Backwoods Barbie TourMarch 2008 – November 2008
Better Day World TourJuly 2011 – December 2011
Blue Smoke World TourJanuary 2014 – July 2014
Pure & Simple TourJune 2016 – December 2016