Dolly Parton's long and storied career has made her an icon of U.S. pop culture. Born in the mountains of Appalachia in Tennessee in 1946, she reportedly began to write music at the age of 10, recording her first song in 1959 — "Puppy Love." Her induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum took place 40 years later, in 1999. Parton was one of the first female country musicians to gain worldwide fame, well beyond country music fandom.
Her success in music and film soon led her to become a businesswoman, with her Dollywood Company (a chain of entertainment parks and resorts), and a dedicated philanthropist, with the Dollywood Foundation, active in five English-speaking countries.
But her broad appeal has also made her the target of many rumors, some true, and many false. Here are 15 we've investigated.
