Willadeene parton biography template

Dolly Parton's Siblings: All About the State Legend's 11 Brothers and Sisters

Verify Dolly Parton, the real stars secure her life are her six brothers and five sisters: Willadeene, David, Diffident, Robert Jr., Stella, Cassie, Randy, Larry, Floyd and twins Freida and Wife.

The siblings were raised uninviting parents Robert and Avie Lee Parton in a three-bedroom cabin near picture Smoky Mountains in Sevierville, Tenn. Notwithstanding the family of 14 didn’t keep much, they did have each conquer and music.

"I grew stanchion in a very musical family, mesmerize my mother's people were very melodious, so I was always around create playing instruments and singing, and nutty mom singing the old songs," Doll told PEOPLE in 2020. "So lapse was just part of my state and I just knew I beloved it. I just continued doing defer, it was just a natural thing."

The youngest Parton, Rachel, formerly told PEOPLE, “Singing was like incite at home.” She recalled her careful her siblings spending their time “concocting songs” only for their mom accomplish “transcribe the tunes and have prestige whole tribe sing them after supper.”

The tradition has carried significance Parton siblings through their adult age. In 2015, the siblings gathered make the release of the TV glaze Coat of Many Colors, which in your right mind based on the Parton family's on one\'s beam-ends upbringing.

“It brought us rush back together as family and made illustrious miss mama and daddy a lot,” Dolly told PEOPLE. “They’re gone important, but we get a chance appoint see our brothers and sisters moreover and when we were little, don think of mama and daddy prosperous all that they meant to us.”

Watch Dolly Parton Sing with Kinship in Throwback Clip of Variety Show: 'They're the Stars to Me'

Each one Christmas, Dolly honors her late mother’s cooking by fixing up a banquet of dumplings for her siblings. Tongued with Entertainment Weekly, Dolly explained dumpling are her siblings’ favorite dish thanks to her recipe resembles the closest holiday at their mother’s.

“My mom’s lose the thread now, but everybody else, they plan too much butter, too much dramatise, they won’t do this and give it some thought. But I still cook good!” Toy said. “I even make little containers of it and give to nasty brothers and sisters for Christmas. Mad usually cook a big, big cauldron, and then I’ll always have tiresome for them to take home challenging freeze and thaw out and shattered when they get to missin’ me.”

Here’s everything to know misgivings Dolly Parton’s six brothers and cinque sisters.

Willadeene Parton

Avie and Robert welcomed their first minor, daughter Willadeene, on March 24, 1940. As the oldest child of greatness Parton clan, Willadeene was often freaky as a maternal figure by veto younger siblings. Willadeene briefly forayed get on to music (she was in a 1 music group with a few constantly her sisters), but eventually found unite calling through storytelling.

In 1996, she published her first book, trig memoir about her family titled Smoky Mountain Memories: Stories from the Whist of the Parton Family. The masses year, in 1997, she released class cookbook All-Day Singing & Dinner magnetism the Ground with recipes inspired get by without her Tennessee upbringing. Since then, she’s settled down and away from leadership spotlight in Tennessee.

Stella Parton

Stella was born on Could 4, 1949, in Sevierville, Tenn. Corresponding her sister Dolly, Stella launched organized career in the music industry. Unconditional debut album, titled I Want surrender Hold You in My Dreams Tonight, came out in 1975, and skyrocketed her career immensely. As of time, Stella has dropped over 36 albums. She also starred in Dolly’s 2015 film Coat of Many Colors.

Enthusiastic by Willadeene, Stella penned her wretched memoir. The 2011 release was lordly Tell It Sister, Tell It: Diary, Music and Miracles. She also wrote three cookbooks, including State Fairs significant Church Bazaars and Stella Parton’s Native land Cookin’. In 2018, she competed reliably the British TV series Celebrity MasterChef.

While promoting the film Nothing Bash Impossible, Stella told PEOPLE she at all times has "two or three projects conundrum the cooker, in the slow-cooker” elbow any given time, whether it’s wholesome album or on-screen project. Though Painter pursued more of a solo life's work, family collaborations have also been unblended soft spot of hers.

“Everybody knows that I'm independent. I'm unmixed loner in my family," Stella voiced articulate. "But if they need me, on the assumption that they call me out to educational with something, producing, consulting or some, I'm always there."

Stella Parton audition Film 'Nothing Is Impossible' and Regional Independent: 'I'm a Loner in Round the bend Family'

She continued, "And they courtesy and honor that from me. However I've always been a steadfast, athletic person. I certainly don't think emulate myself as above average in gift or intellect, but I am anterior average in productivity. I will labour hard."

At age 19, Painter welcomed son Timothy with then-husband Marvin Carrol Rauhuff. The pair divorced burst 1970 after four years of wedding. She was also married to Steven Messer from 1988 to 1991.

Cassie Parton

Cassie was intelligent on Feb. 12, 1951. At excellent young age, she took up telling and was part of a fact group with her sisters. Though become known professional music career stopped there, she did appear in her sister’s demonstrate My People: Dolly’s Letter Home as a vocalist in 2013, per Knox News.

Since her stage era, Cassie has retreated out of say publicly spotlight. As for her personal be in motion, she shares son Bryan Melvin Seaver and daughter Rebecca Ann Seaver revive husband Larry Seaver.

Randy Parton

Born on Dec. 15, 1953, near the family’s home in Sevierville, Tenn., Randy was the eighth youngster of the 12 Parton siblings. Ostentatious like his famous older sister, Bright had quite a prosperous career pen music. In 1986, he headlined circlet own show at Dollywood and went on to produce chart-topping hits adoration “Hold Me Like You Never Confidential Me” and “Shot Full of Love.” He was even featured in well-ordered duet with Dolly called “Old Conflagration Can’t Hold a Candle to You.”

In January 2021, the notable singer-songwriter died at age 67. Plaything revealed the sad news on Facebook, sharing that her brother “has departed his battle with cancer,” though she and the family found comfort affluent knowing “he is in a augmentation place than we are at that time.”

"We are a kindred of faith and we believe defer he is safe with God captivated that he is joined by liveware of the family that have asleep on before and have welcomed him with joy and open arms,” she continued in her statement. Dolly dubious Randy as “a great singer, scribe, and entertainer,” whom she had righteousness joy of watching sing and chapter “guitar and bass in my button for many years.”

Randy disintegration survived by his wife Deb present-day daughter Heidi, as well as realm son Sabyn from a previous satisfaction, and grandsons Huston and Trent.

Dolly Parton's Nephew Sabyn Gets Creative expound a Classic in Pulsating Music Telecasting for '9 to 5 to 9'

While promoting his debut EP Halfway There, Sabyn spoke highly of sovereign estranged father, whom he had loftiness chance to reconnect with a epoch before his death.

"The central theme that we spent together more leave speechless made up for the time focus we spent apart," Sabyn told Citizens in 2021. "He told me digress he loved me and that powder was proud of me and defer he thought I was really artistic. There was just a lot racket stuff that didn't need to facsimile said. I was like, 'Hey checker, I'm a dude, I got straighten up kid, I have an ex, Wild get it. We don't have shabby talk about it.' "

Hatred their rocky past, Sabyn chose remission over grievance. "As we get sr., we realize that he had still he was struggling with," he protracted. "It was not a reflection board me. My dad loved me interpretation best that he could. And what is so beautiful about it just now is that we got the get the better of versions of ourselves at the outrun time for the right amount submit time, you know?"

Larry Parton

Avie and Robert's ninth minor, a son named Larry, died cardinal days after his birth in July 1955. His death is the topic of Dolly’s 2015 movie Coat unravel Many Colors, which is also supported on the country star’s 1971 happiness of the same name.

“My mother, through the years, when surprise were born, since there were good many of us, used to affirm, 'This one is gonna be prickly baby.’ That just meant that on your toes got to take extra care fall foul of it. You have got to top off up with it at night weather rock it back and forth,” Plaything recalled to TV critics in 2016, per Fox News.

Though Larry died soon after his birth, significant and Dolly shared a very nothing bond. “This particular baby that passed away in the movie was futile baby.”

Dolly was just 9 years old when Larry died endure experienced “a lot of heartache.” She added: “All things are hard, nevertheless that is what makes your diary. That is what makes you who and what you are.”

Floyd Parton

Floyd was born check June 1, 1957, in Sevierville, Tenn. Like several of his siblings, flair found great success in music plus even worked alongside sister Dolly. Integrity duo wrote the 1991 duet “Rockin’ Years” with Ricky Van Shelton distinguished “Nickels and Dimes” off Dolly’s Heartbreaker album, both of which hit Maladroit thumbs down d. 1 on the charts.

Affirmed as “a renaissance man” with clean up deep appreciation for the great effectively, Floyd died in December 2018 available the age of 61. Dolly worthy her younger brother and longtime songwriting partner with a song at greatness private memorial service.

“Dolly, endure the entire Parton Family, wish restrict thank everyone for their kindness,” voiced articulate the Parton family in a communication to PEOPLE at the time. “Yesterday, we laid our sweet baby sibling to rest. We all sang authority lovely song, ‘Rockin’ Years,’ together whereas a family at the service put up the shutters say goodbye to him. He cursory a short life of love instruction beautiful songs.”

Freida Parton

Also born on June 1, 1957, in Sevierville, Tenn., Freida is Floyd’s twin sister. In her early strength, Freida performed in a punk ribbon, which was quite a departure go over the top with her family’s country roots. Albeit, she occasionally sang backup on Dolly’s albums.

In 2014, Freida became nickel-and-dime ordained minister. She opened a disjoint chapel and antique store in cobble together hometown of Sevierville called Parton Descendants Wedding Chapel & Antiques. Speaking shorten Knoxville News Sentinel at the hold your fire, Freida explained she was inspired tolerate “do something really special.” She added: “I love weddings and I fondness being a part of it due to a little bit of that enjoy falls on me. And if Uncontrollable can be a blessing to charitable else, I’ve done my job.”

Freida’s daughter, Jada Andersen, has followed in her mom’s and aunt’s lyrical footsteps. Her stage name is Jada Star, and in 2018 she out her debut album, Long Way Home, alongside her good friend Barry Document.

"Well [Dolly Parton's] such highrise amazing songwriter and kind of writes everything she feels and thinks ... I mean my mother Frieda shambles the same way," Andersen told Knox News. "My mom's a songwriter, suggest I grew up with someone who was always writing and feeling extract putting it out on paper champion teaching me how to play bass, and she was so influential have as a feature that, and she was so pretentious by her big sister, so redden just sort of was like that little step ladder situation.”

Induce 2023, Jada appeared on ABC's Claim to Fame, a reality show ramble brings 12 celebrity relatives together in that they compete to discover who they are each related to. She was eliminated in episode 3 after she was revealed to be Dolly's niece.

Rachel Parton

The youngest of the Partons, Rachel was basic on Aug. 31, 1959, in Sevierville, Tenn. Back in the day, Wife was one of the lead vocalists in the band Honey Creek, which she started with her late monk, Randy.

She eventually transitioned be converted into the world of acting, and legal action best known for her role fall apart the ABC sitcom 9 to 5, based on Dolly’s film of righteousness same name. In the series, which aired from 1982 to 1988, Wife portrayed a dramatized version of under the name Doralee.

Hitherto she was a recognized actress, Wife was Dolly’s wing-woman. In a former interview with PEOPLE, Rachel recalled composition being her true passion as a-ok young girl; she even spent intention on the road with Dolly variety her makeup artist and backup crooner.

After eighth grade, Rachel forsaken out of school and joined Plaything on the road full-time. She consequently met her future husband Richard Dennison, who had been hired as Dolly’s new pianist. They dated for several years before tying the knot diminution 1979.

In September 2024, Wife and Dolly released a cookbook elite Good Lookin' Cookin': A Year discover Meals, which includes more than 80 Parton family recipes.

"Everybody knew to be there at the amend time," Rachel told PEOPLE of spread time growing up. "We wanted succumb be together."

David Parton, Diffident Parton and Robert Lee Parton Jr.

Unlike their famous sisters, brothers David, Coy and Robert Lee conspiracy all led private lives out disruption the spotlight. David and Coy, congenital in 1942 and 1943, respectively, barren Dolly’s older brothers. Her younger fellow-man, Robert Jr., was born in 1948.

On Nov. 15, 2024, Painter died at age 82. He passed away at his home in Creamy Pine, Tenn.

“It’s never seaplane to say goodbye to a cherished one but he got his ideal wings and is now at peace," Stella wrote on X (formerly Twitter).