In honor of Dolly Parton’s 75th birthday on Jan. 19, we’re taking a look back at photos of the legendary country singer throughout the entirety her extraordinary career.
Happy birthday to the one and only, Dolly Parton! The country superstar turns 75 on Jan. 19, which is the perfect opportunity to celebrate her illustrious career and how she’s changed the face of country music over the years. Dolly epically climbed the music ladder by starting out as a girl who came from nothing and transforming into a record-breaking artist, who undoubtedly paved the way for other females in the genre.
Dolly released her debut studio album, Hello Dolly, in 1967 and it brought her two top 40 hits, including “Dumb Blonde”, which talked about how despite the spunky artist’s light-colored locks, she was “nobody’s fool”. In addition to releasing more solo albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s, she released a series of duet albums with Porter Wagoner and stayed on the charts. Although her albums didn’t do as well in the 1990s, she climbed the musical ladder again when she reached success in the new millennium and has continued to release records on independent labels as well as her own record label, Dolly Records.
Throughout Dolly’s tremendous career, which includes having 25 songs reach the number one spot on the Billboard country music charts, she has not only transformed herself musically, but also fashionably. The beautiful starlet has shared various looks with various hairstyles and outfits during her epic performances, music videos, and appearances, and has become an icon to women of all ages. From high wigs that she confessed were “heavy” in a 2019 Instagram post and big jewelry, to straighter hair and casual clothing items like leather jackets, this lady sure knows how to rock just about any style!
Her gorgeous voice and impressive guitar playing are also things about Dolly that people everywhere know and love, and she hasn’t wavered despite being three months away from her 75th birthday! On Apr. 8, she wowed music fans with a rendition of her dear friend and sometimes musical partner, Kenny Rogers‘ song “Sweet Music Man”. The performance was part of CMT GIANTS Kenny Rogers: A Benefit For MusiCares, which honored the legend after he passed away at the age of 81 in March, and Dolly’s appearance was one of the most heart-stopping of the entire special.
Whether she’s singing her heart out or posing on a red carpet with her brightest smile, Dolly has never failed to amaze people throughout her years in the spotlight. Click through the gallery above to relive more of the most epic moments from her career.