How Many of These Fun Facts About Dolly Parton Do You Know?

Josiah Soto

May 23, 2023 at 5:23 PM·5 min read

dolly parton fun facts — 10 Surprising Facts About Dolly PartonPaul Natkin - Getty Images

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Dolly Parton, aka the Queen of Country, has stolen the show (and our hearts) more times than we can count throughout the last few decades. She's a singer (responsible for many popular country songs we all love), a television and movie star, a philanthropist, a theme park owner, and so much more. (Plus, she's one of Ree Drummond's idols!) One look at Dolly throughout the years is enough to realize just how much she does. Still, there's so much to the mega-star that you probably didn't know! She has her quirks just like the rest of us, which is what makes these fun facts about Dolly all the more relatable.

Some of these facts will absolutely surprise you! For instance, there’s no way you'll ever guess the amount of wigs the singer owns! While other tidbits will warm your heart. Do you know how long Dolly and her husband have been married?! Either way, this list will act as a pleasant surprise and a new set of reasons to love the already admired star. Take a read through these fun facts about Dolly, and let us know in the comments what surprised you the most!

Dolly has a few secret tattoos.

It's true! If you didn't know this, it's because she hasn't given them much of a public appearance. Dolly usually wears long sleeve shirts and dresses, which pretty much covers them up. But the singer confirmed the "secret" in an interview on TODAY: "I do have a few little tattoos, but they were mostly done to cover scars because I'm so fair," Dolly said.

Dolly is an honorary godmother to Miley Cyrus.

In fact, Dolly and Miley's dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, go way back! Billy released a popular country song, "Achy Breaky Heart," in the early '90s which landed him a spot as an opener for Dolly when she went on tour that year. The two became so close that Billy ended up asking Dolly to be Miley's godmother.

"I'm her honorary godmother. I've known her since she was a baby," Parton told ABC. "And when she was born, he said, 'You just have to be her godmother,' and I said, 'I accept.'"

Dolly and her husband have been married for over 50 years.

Talk about a lasting romance! Dolly and her husband Carl Dean tied the knot back in 1966, and the two have been in love ever since!

"We've been together most of our lives," Parton told People in 2018. "I always joke and laugh when people ask me what's the key to my long marriage and lasting love. I always say 'Stay gone!' and there's a lot of truth to that."

Dolly has musical siblings.

Dolly actually grew up with 11 (!!!) siblings. Two of them sadly passed away, including Floyd Parton, one of Dolly's brothers who co-wrote many of her songs throughout her career. Many of her other siblings, however, are still around and perform with Dolly from time to time!

Dolly has three Guinness World Records.

She's a true record breaker! The singer holds three Guinness World Records: One for "Most Decades With a Top 20 Hit on the US Hot Country Songs Chart," one for "Most Hits on US Hot Country Songs Chart By a Female Artist," and one for "Most No. 1 Hits on the US Hot Country Songs Chart by a Female Artist."

Dolly sleeps in her makeup!

She's gotta be camera ready at all times! Dolly does take her makeup off, just in the mornings (only to reapply it soon after). "You never know if you're going to wreck the bus, you never know if you're going to be somewhere in a hotel and there's going to be a fire," she once said. "So I leave my makeup on at night and clean my face in the morning."

Dolly's first ever crush was Johnny Cash.

She told Nightline all about her experience at Nashville's Grand Ole' Opry, where she saw Johnny Cash perform for the first time when she was a teenager. I guess you can say it was love at first site! (For Dolly, at least!)

Dolly wrote her two hits "I Will Always Love You" and "Jolene" at the same time.

It was a good few days of writing, according to Dolly! After looking through old cassette tapes, Dolly saw that the two songs were on the same one, coming right after each other. They ended up on the same album, too!

She's really, really good at interviews.

One quick search on the internet, and you'll find *hundreds* of videos of her on different talk shows, giving us so many of the iconic moments she's known for.

Dolly has over 300 wigs! (Apparently.)

Dolly's hair is as iconic as her voice! And at a red carpet event for her series, Heartstrings, the star was asked the burning question: How many wigs does she own? "Well, I wear one about every day," she told Out, "so I must have at least 365."

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