Dolly Parton has been one of country music’s most recognizable stars since her entree into the genre in the 1960s. By now, her story is one that is familiar to most country fans: The singer’s East Tennessee upbringing wasn’t an easy one, but she was able to begin her career on radio shows at a young age and make it to Nashville to pursue a music career when she was 18.
Since her first days in Music City, Parton has become a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and won numerous awards, including Grammy Awards, CMA Awards and ACM Awards. The singer has leveraged her status as a country icon into a position as an icon, period, thanks in part to her Dollywood theme park, which is located in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and her roles on the big screen, including Doralee Rhodes in 9 to 5, a movie that garnered Parton an Oscar for Best Original Song.
Whether you’re a relatively new fan of Parton’s or have been with her since she first performed with Porter Wagoner, you’re sure to get a kick out of seeing the singer’s evolution through the past five decades in the gallery below:
WATCH: 11 Unforgettable Dolly Parton Moments