The Parton household has never had a dull moment since 1940, and Dolly Parton is only 1/12th of it.
“Hello, I’m Dolly” is how the iconic singer-songwriter, actress, and philanthropist Dolly Parton introduced herself to the world. Now 57 years after her first album peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, the legendary figure is still rolling the fame game, bringing a new album soon. But besides her bomb music, big hair, sequined outfits, and iconic humor, it’s Parton’s personal life intrigues the masses greatly — especially her numerous siblings.
Dolly Parton was born on Jan. 19, 1946, as the fourth child of Robert Lee Parton Sr. and Avie Lee Caroline. But no, Dolly was not the last one to grace the one-room cabin of the Partons on the banks of the Little Pigeon River in Pittman Center, Tennessee. The 78-year-old star grew up with six brothers and five sisters, all entertained by Avie’s Smoky Mountain folklore and ancient ballads.
1. Willadeene Parton
The eldest of the Parton siblings, Willadeene was born on March 24, 1940, and is still thriving at 84. Being the by-default second mother to all her siblings, Willadeene is intellectual and wise, a talent she cherished to build her writing career. She is known for her book Smoky Mountain Memories: Stories from the Hearts of the Parton Family.
2. David Parton
Born on Feb. 17, 1942, and aged 82, David Parton has always kept a low profile and decided not to pursue a career that involves fame. He is the eldest son among the family’s six male siblings.
3. Coy Parton
Following the footsteps of his elder brother, Coy Parton leads a private life with little information about his personal or professional life. He was born on Aug. 16, 1943, and is alive and well at 81.
4. Dolly Parton
The star of the family, Dolly Parton remains the most recognizable Parton sibling with an illustrious career in Hollywood spanning sixty years. She is currently 78 years old and has multiple careers including acting, singing, songwriting, business, philanthropy, and recently, writing.
5. Robert Lee Parton Jr.
Also known by the name Bobby, Robert is almost a birthday twin to David and was born on Feb. 18, 1948. Like David, he has lived all 76 years of his life privately and likes to stay out of the spotlight.
6. Stella Parton
Stella was born on May 4, 1949, and has always been greatly influenced by Dolly. She built a career in singing, writing, and acting like her elder sister. She has appeared on TV shows and also authored cookbooks and memoirs.
7. Cassie Parton
Cassie Parton also took a chance at singing alongside her siblings in Dollywood but did not pursue a solo career. She was born on Feb. 12, 1951, and usually stays away from the limelight with appearances every once in a while. She last performed at the My People Show in 2013.
8. Randy Parton
Randy Parton is the most successful male among the Parton siblings to have pursued a music career, alongside Floyd. He was an accomplished singer, songwriter, actor, and businessman, having served as lead in the Moonlight Bandits band. He was born on Dec. 15, 1953, and sadly passed away due to cancer on Jan. 21, 2021, at age 67.
9. Larry Parton
Born on July 6, 1955, Larry Parton tragically passed away only four days after his birth and was buried at Angel Hill Cemetery in Sevierville, Tennessee. Dolly has several times opened up about her love for her baby brother and the pain of his passing. “When he died, it just absolutely crushed me, crushed me,” Dolly wrote in the book Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics.
10. Floyd Parton
With music running through his blood, Floyd also decided to pursue a music career. He was a successful songwriter and collaborated with Dolly multiple times on songs and in movies and TV series. He was born on June 1, 1957, as the twin brother to Frieda. Floyd passed away on Dec. 6, 2018, at 61.
11. Freida Parton
Born as the fraternal twin to Floyd, Freida initially pursued a career in punk rock music before eventually settling down to become a preacher. She is 67 years old and usually prefers to live away from the limelight.
12. Rachel Parton
The youngest Parton, Rachel was born on Aug. 31, 1959, and is currently 64 years old. Inspired by her siblings to pursue an entertainment career, Rachel became an actress and singer. She has appeared in the TV adaptation of 9 to 5, playing Doralee Rhodes Brooks. She retired from acting in 1999 and is married to Eric Wilson George.
