The large family, comprised of Robert and Avie Lee Parton’s children, was raised in Tennessee’s Sevier County, close to the Smoky Mountains and the family’s Dollywood theme resort.
The six boys and six girls were given the names Willadeene, David Wilburn, Coy Denver, Dolly Rebecca, Robert “Bobby” Lee, Stella Mae, Cassie Nan, Randel Huston “Randy,” Larry Gerald, Estel Floyd, and twins Freida Estelle and Rachel Ann, in that order of birth.
Dolly Parton is one of the most well-known members of her family, and she has attributed her early exposure to music and ultimate success in the entertainment industry to her upbringing in a big, music-loving family in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.
Dolly Parton has maintained a close relationship with her family throughout her career and has even worked on a number of musical ventures with some of her siblings.
In particular, her sister Stella Parton is a well-known independent country singer and songwriter. Dolly Parton has frequently talked about the love and support her family has given her over the years and how important they have been to her life and career.
Although Willadeene Portion is the eldest sister of Dolly Parton, we will discuss Dolly Parton at the beginning of this article as she is the most famous among her family.
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton, an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, philanthropist, and businesswoman, was born on January 19, 1946. She has a renowned country music career that spans several decades.
She was born into a destitute farming family. She was the fourth of 12 sisters and brothers. She showed skill and enthusiasm for music at a young age, and as a little child in Knoxville, Tennessee, she appeared as a featured singer and guitarist on local radio and television programs.
She left for Nashville in 1964, right after graduating from high school, to pursue a career in music.
Now, let’s discuss Dolly’s family one by one.
| Year of Birth | Family Members |
| 1946 | Dolly Parton |
| 1940 | Willadeene Parton |
| 1949 | Stella Parton |
| 1951 | Cassie Parton |
| 1957 | Freida Parton |
| 1948 | David Parton |
| 1943 | Coy Parton |
| 1948 | Robert Lee Parton Jr. |
| 1959 | Rachel Parton |
| 1953 | Randy Parton |
| 1955 | Larry Parton |
| 1957 | Floyd Parton |
Willadeene Parton
The oldest child of the Parton family, Willadeene, was born on March 24, 1940. She didn’t pursue a singing career, but she did write the family memoir.
In the years 1986 and 1985, respectively, she released books titled “Smoky Mountain Memories: Stories from the Hearts of the Parton Family” and “In the Shadow of a Song: The Story of the Parton Family.”
Stella Parton
Stella Mae Parton was born on May 4, 1949, in Sevierville, Tennessee, and is the sixth of twelve children. She started to work in the entertainment industry at a young age.
In fact, she and her sister Dolly Parton made an appearance on a local television program when she was just seven years old. And in just two years, she has generated her radio debut.
At that time, Stella and her sisters Willadeene and Cassie formed a group that went on a gospel music and commercial singing tour of eastern Tennessee.
Stella is a talented writer as well. She began to compose music during her senior year of high school. She really included a lot of original songs on her first two albums, which showed her early inspirations.
Cassie Parton
Cassie Nan Parton was born on February 12, 1951, in Little Pigeon River in Pittman Centre, Tennessee. She is the sixth child to be born to Robert Lee Parton Sr. and Avie Lee Caroline.
Cassie attributes her mother’s ability to sing to the fact that, despite frequently being in terrible health, she was still able to maintain the home and entertain her kids with folklore and old ballads from the Smoky Mountains.
She began singing at an early age and joined her sisters in a gospel group. Although her professional music career ended there, in 2013, she did make an appearance as a vocalist in her sister’s production of My People: Dolly’s Letter Home.
Since her days on the stage, Cassie has withdrawn from the spotlight. She and her spouse Larry Seaver have a son named Bryan Melvin Seaver and a daughter named Rebecca Ann.
Freida Parton
Freida Estelle Parton was born in East Tennessee on June 1, 1957, in the United States. Former backup singer for sister Dolly Parton, Freida Estelle Parton is a singer. For a while, she experimented with punk rock. She didn’t enjoy success as a singer. For the songs Oriental Dolls, Sing for the Common Man, Heart Tracks, and Hit and Run Love, she is claimed well-known.
American author and writer Mark Andersen was Freida’s husband. In her teenage years, Freida met Mark, and they later wed.
The pair even worked together to write the song “Sing for the Common Man” in 1980. Jada Star is the daughter of the couple.
David Parton
David Wilburn Parton was born on 30 March 1942. Avie Lee Owens and Robert Lee Parton were the father and mother of him. In addition to his income from his little farm, his father used to undertake construction jobs.
Nothing else about him, other than this, can be mentioned. In contrast, Dolly Parton, his sister, had only stated in interviews that all of his parents and siblings had been extremely supportive and supported all of her choices.
Coy Parton
Coy Denver Parton was born on 16 August 1943, in Tennessee. Some of the siblings decided to pursue musical careers similar to that of their older sister Dolly, while others took other directions.
He has never sought a career in show business, and he and his wife prefer to maintain their privacy in their personal lives. Dolly and Coy Parton are his children.
Carolyn Parton is Coy Parton’s wife. Jenny Lynn and Christina Parton are their children.
Robert Lee Parton Jr.
Robert Lee Parton Jr. was born on February 18, 1948. He was born in the US state of Tennessee.
While his father, Lee, was a tobacco farmer who also did occasional construction work, his mother was a stay-at-home mom. His parents tried their best to support him and his siblings despite the fact that his family was not wealthy.
“Dirt poor” is how his sister Dolly Parton has described the family. All siblings were raised in extreme poverty.
Rachel Parton
Rachel Ann Parton was born on 31 August 1959. She is a retired American singer and actor.
The 64-year-old Rachel Parton Dennison, who played the title role in the ABC comedy 9 to 5 from 1982 to 1988 and also performed in Honey Creek, will also be remembered by Parton fans. She is Dolly’s renowned younger sister.
At the Red Tent Women’s Conference in Tennessee in 2014, she gave a performance with Dolly and Stella and reminded everyone there of the Partons’ legendary status in the world of country music.
Randy Parton
Randy Parton was born on December 15, 1953, not far from the family’s home in Sevierville, Tennessee, as the eighth of the 12 Parton siblings. Similar to his well-known older sister, Randy had a highly successful career in music.
In 1986, he was the star of Dollywood and released the top hits “Hold Me Like You Never Had Me” and “Shot Full of Love.” He even joined Dolly in the duet “Old Flames Can’t Hold a Candle to You.”
Larry Parton
The ninth child of Avie and Robert, Larry, died four days after his birth in July 1955. Dolly’s 2015 film Coat of Many Colours, which is based on her 1971 song of the same name, is about his death.
Despite Larry’s passing shortly after his birth, Dolly and Larry shared a close bond. “My Baby,” the mother referred to the infant who passed away in the film.
Dolly, who was just 9 years old when Larry died, experienced “a lot of heartache.” She said, “Everything is challenging, but it’s the difficulty that creates your memories. This is where your identity comes from.”
Floyd Parton
Floyd was born in Sevierville, Tennessee, on June first, 1957. Like the rest of his brothers, he had great success in the music industry and even worked with sister Dolly.
The No. 1 hits “Nickels and Dimes” from Dolly’s Heartbreaker album and the 1991 collaboration “Rockin’ Years” with Ricky Van Shelton were both co-written by the two.
Floyd, who was 61 years old, passed away in December 2018. He was regarded as “a nobleman” who had a deep appreciation of the natural world. Dolly sang a song in honor of her younger brother, a long-time songwriting partner, during the private memorial service.
Conclusion
- The big Parton family, comprised of Robert and Avie Lee Parton’s children, was raised in Tennessee’s Sevier County, close to the Smoky Mountains.
- All of Parton’s 12 siblings, who grew up amid the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee’s poverty, have a connection to Dolly. They occupied a one-bedroom home with no indoor plumbing or power.
- Despite their lack of material possessions, the 14-person family did have each other and enjoyed music.