27 moments

1. Birth in Pittman Center

   1946-01-19 · Pittman Center, Tennessee, United States

   Dolly Rebecca Parton was born in the Little Pigeon River community of Pittman Center, Sevier County, Tennessee. Coordinates represent Pittman Center; the birth cabin itself is not precisely geocoded here.

2. Child performer in Knoxville

   1956-01-01 · Knoxville, Tennessee, United States

   By age ten, Parton was appearing on local radio and television programs in Knoxville, an early public-performance base for her career. Year is derived from her age ten following her January 1946 birth; coordinates represent Knoxville rather than a documented studio address.

3. Grand Ole Opry appearance

   1959-01-01 · Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, Tennessee, United States

   

   As a teenager, Parton appeared at the Grand Ole Opry, where she met Johnny Cash. The year is derived from her age thirteen; the Opry was then based at Ryman Auditorium.

4. Arrival in Nashville

   1964-01-01 · Nashville, Tennessee, United States

   Parton moved to Nashville immediately after graduating from Sevier County High School, beginning her professional songwriting career there. Coordinates are a representative central-Nashville point; the cited move does not identify a residence.

5. Marriage to Carl Dean

   1966-05-30 · Ringgold, Georgia, United States

   Parton married Carl Thomas Dean in Ringgold, Georgia. Coordinates represent Ringgold; the ceremony site is not specified.

6. Move to Brentwood home

   1972-01-01 · Brentwood, Tennessee, United States

   Parton and Dean established the Brentwood property that became their long-term home. Coordinates represent Brentwood rather than the private residence.

7. Host at Ford's Theatre

   1979-01-01 · Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C., United States

   Parton hosted NBC's country-music special at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C.; President Jimmy Carter attended.

8. Honolulu visit

   1983-01-01 · Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

   

   A contemporaneous photograph places Parton in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1983. Photo-caption evidence supports the year and city but not a more precise date or site.

9. Buddy Program kickoff

   1988-04-29 · Sevier County, Tennessee, United States

   Parton launched the Dollywood Foundation's Buddy Program for middle-school students in her home county. The source identifies the program as a Sevier County initiative but does not identify the kickoff venue; coordinates represent Sevierville, the county seat.

10. Grand Ole Opry appearance

    2005-01-01 · Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville, Tennessee, United States

    A photograph documents Parton at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville in 2005. Photo-caption evidence supports the year but not a more precise date.

11. Woodrow Wilson Award ceremony

    2007-11-08 · Nashville, Tennessee, United States

    Parton received the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service at a Nashville ceremony. The ceremony venue is not specified; coordinates represent central Nashville.

12. Concerts at The O2

    2008-01-01 · The O2 Arena, London, England, United Kingdom

    Parton's sold-out London concerts at The O2 were filmed for the live album and DVD Live From London. The source supports 2008 but does not give concert dates.

13. University of Tennessee commencement

    2009-05-08 · University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States

    Parton delivered the commencement address for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville's College of Arts and Sciences and received an honorary degree.

14. Great Smoky Mountains rededication

    2009-09-01 · Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee and North Carolina, United States

    

    A photograph documents Parton at the September 2009 rededication ceremony for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The source gives month but not day or ceremony site; coordinates are a representative park point.

15. Liseberg Applause Award

    2010-01-01 · Liseberg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    

    A photograph places Parton at Liseberg in Gothenburg, Sweden, where she received the Liseberg Applause Award. Photo-caption evidence supports the year but not a more precise date.

16. Blue Smoke tour in Cologne

    2014-01-01 · Lanxess Arena, Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

    

    A photograph documents Parton performing at Lanxess Arena in Cologne during the Blue Smoke World Tour. Photo-caption evidence supports the year but not a more precise date.

17. Blue Smoke tour in Knoxville

    2014-01-01 · Knoxville, Tennessee, United States

    

    A photograph places Parton in Knoxville during the Blue Smoke World Tour. Photo-caption evidence supports the city and year but not a specific venue or date.

18. Performance at Glastonbury

    2014-06-29 · Worthy Farm, Pilton, Somerset, England, United Kingdom

    Parton made her first Glastonbury Festival appearance, performing for a crowd reported as exceeding 180,000.

19. Library of Congress book donation

    2018-02-27 · Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., United States

    Parton joined Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden to present the 100 millionth Imagination Library book and participate in a reading program. Library of Congress catalog record identifies Washington, D.C. and records the event on February 27, 2018.

20. Newport Folk Festival appearance

    2019-07-01 · Fort Adams State Park, Newport, Rhode Island, United States

    Parton made an unannounced Newport Folk Festival appearance and performed with the Highwomen and Linda Perry. The source gives July but not a day; Fort Adams State Park is the festival's customary site.

21. COVID-19 vaccination at Vanderbilt

    2021-03-01 · Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States

    Parton was publicly vaccinated against COVID-19 at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. The source supports month but not day.

22. Kiss Breast Cancer Goodbye benefit

    2021-10-01 · Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Nashville, Tennessee, United States

    Parton headlined the inaugural Kiss Breast Cancer Goodbye concert with an acoustic set supporting breast-cancer programs. The source supports month but not day.

23. Thanksgiving halftime performance

    2023-01-01 · AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, United States

    Parton performed at halftime of the Washington Commanders–Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving game. The source states Thanksgiving 2023 without an exact date; the Cowboys' home game was played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

24. Dollywood 41st-anniversary keynote

    2026-03-13 · Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, United States

    

    Parton made a major public appearance at Dollywood to deliver the keynote during the park's 41st-anniversary celebration.

25. Truck-stop grand opening

    2026-06-01 · Cornersville, Tennessee, United States

    Parton's final public appearance was at the opening of a truck stop named in her honor near Interstate 65 in Cornersville. The source supports June but not a day; coordinates represent Cornersville rather than the unspecified truck-stop parcel.

26. Hospitalization at Vanderbilt-Ingram

    2026-08-21 · Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States

    Parton was hospitalized at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville shortly before her death.

27. Death in Nashville

    2026-08-25 · Nashville, Tennessee, United States

    Parton died in Nashville at age 80 following a brief battle with cancer. Coordinates represent central Nashville; the death-location source does not identify a more precise site.