Who Were Dolly Parton’s Parents? The Story of Robert Lee and Avie Lee Parton
Dolly Parton often spoke about her parents with deep love and admiration.
Long before she became one of the world’s most famous country stars, Dolly was one of 12 children growing up in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.
Her parents, Robert “Lee” Parton and Avie Lee Owens Parton, played a major role in shaping the woman and artist she would become.
Robert Lee and Avie Lee Parton
Robert “Lee” Parton was born in Sevierville, Tennessee, in 1921. Avie Lee Owens was born in South Carolina in 1923.
The couple married in 1939 when they were still teenagers.
Together, they raised 12 children, six boys and six girls. Dolly was their fourth child, born in January 1946.
The family lived a simple life in the mountains of East Tennessee.
Money was often tight. Lee worked as a sharecropper and took other jobs to support his large family, while Avie Lee cared for the children and kept the household together.
Dolly later remembered that her mother never wanted her children to describe themselves as poor.
Instead, Avie Lee reminded them to appreciate what they did have.
A Childhood That Inspired Dolly’s Music
Many of Dolly’s most famous songs were connected to the life she experienced growing up.
The family lived in a small cabin without many modern conveniences. Yet Dolly remembered her childhood with great affection.
Her mother’s creativity became an important part of Dolly’s storytelling.
Avie Lee made clothes for her children from whatever materials were available, including fabric scraps and feed sacks.
One of those childhood memories eventually became the inspiration for “Coat of Many Colors.”
The song tells the story of a coat Dolly’s mother made for her and the way other children reacted to it.
Years later, that childhood experience became one of Dolly’s most beloved songs.
The Parton Family Was Filled With Music
Music was also a major part of life inside the Parton home.
Dolly grew up singing gospel, folk and bluegrass music with her family.
She later said that her mother’s side of the family was especially musical. Dolly’s uncle, Bill Owens, also played an important role in her early career.
He helped Dolly learn guitar, introduced her to radio opportunities and helped her make her Grand Ole Opry debut when she was just 13.
Several of Dolly’s siblings eventually became involved in music as well.
In the 1970s, Dolly even brought her parents and siblings onto her television show for a family performance.
Rare footage of the appearance shows Dolly singing alongside her parents and several of her brothers and sisters.
The Family Suffered a Devastating Loss
The Parton family also experienced heartbreaking tragedy.
In 1955, Lee and Avie Lee lost their ninth child, Larry, only four days after he was born.
Dolly was nine years old at the time.
The loss later became part of the story behind Dolly’s 2015 television movie “Coat of Many Colors,” which explored her childhood and the family’s faith during difficult times.
Despite the hardship, Dolly often spoke about the love and closeness that existed within the family.
Dolly Created Imagination Library to Honor Her Father
One of the most lasting ways Dolly honored her father came through the creation of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
Dolly launched the program in 1995 to provide free books to young children in her home county of Sevier County, Tennessee.
The program later expanded far beyond Tennessee.
Today, the Imagination Library has distributed more than 330 million books to children across several countries.
Dolly said her father could not read or write because he had to work instead of attending school.
She considered him one of the smartest people she had ever known and wanted the Imagination Library to help children have opportunities he never had.
Her father was especially proud of the program.
Lee Parton died in 2000 at age 79. Avie Lee died three years later at age 80.
Dolly Never Forgot Her Parents
Even after becoming a global superstar, Dolly continued to talk about her parents and the lessons they taught her.
Their influence could be seen throughout her music, movies, philanthropy and the stories she told about growing up in Appalachia.
Her father gave her a strong work ethic.
Her mother passed down music, creativity and a love of family.
Together, they helped shape the foundation of Dolly Parton’s extraordinary life.
And now that Dolly herself has passed away, the stories of Robert Lee and Avie Lee Parton offer another look at the family behind the woman who became a country music legend.
