The Dolly Parton Quiz

By: Robin Tyler
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
The Dolly Parton Quiz
Image: WikiCommons via Curtis Hilbun

About This Quiz

There is so much to love about Dolly Parton.

She is a prime example of how determination, dedication and pure hard work can get you to the top... and keep you there! For most country music lovers, Dolly is the First Lady of Country. Born in 1946, Dolly's family was very poor. They had one thing, however, and that was love, something Dolly displays to her fans at each and every performance.

Her musical career began when she was 13 and recorded her first song. Moving to Nashville after finishing high school, Dolly initially established herself as a songwriter. Her first record label had her singing bubblegum pop before country but Dolly knew exactly what she wanted to do... and country music was it.

Success followed in the 1970s and 1980s with Dolly even branching out into the movie business with numerous appearances in Hollywood films. Dolly even crossed over to the mainstream with a number of hits, but always kept country music at the core of all her work. Now in her 70s, Dolly continues to perform all around the world.

How much do you know about this country music icon? Let's see how well you do in the ultimate Dolly Parton quiz!

Good luck!

Can you tell us the date on which Dolly Parton was born?
January 19, 1946
February 15, 1959
September 25, 1961
December 25, 1937
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dolly Parton was born on January 19, 1946, to Avie Lee Parton and Robert Lee Parton. She was one of 11 children. Sadly, one of her brothers, Larry, died in 1955, just four days after he was born.

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In which U.S. State was Dolly born, a place of which she is immensely proud?
Texas
Tennessee
Connecticut
New York
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dolly was born in a small shack, just a single room that was built near the Little Pigeon River in Pittman Center, Tennessee. She grew up on the family farm located at Locust Ridge, near the Smoky Mountains.

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Only a true Dolly Parton fan would know her second name! Do you know what it is?
Lindsay
Hannah
Rebecca
Julia
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dolly's parents, Avie Lee Parton and Robert Lee Parton, gave her the second name of Rebecca after her maternal great-grandmother, Rebecca Whitted. In turn, actress Rebecca Romijn named her one daughter Dolly Rebecca. She is a huge Dolly fan!

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Of the options below, which was the first song Dolly Parton ever recorded?
Why'd You Come In Here Lookin' Like That
I Will Always Love You
Smokey Mountain Home
Puppy Love
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dolly Parton recorded "Puppy Love" in 1959 at the age of 13. She had written the song two years earlier, with the help of her uncle, Bill Owens. The B-side of the single was another song written by Dolly, also with the help of her uncle, "Girl Left Alone."

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Which famous country artist, known as "The Man In Black," had an early influence on Dolly?
Johnny Cash
Merle Haggard
Willie Nelson
Hank Williams
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dolly Parton met Johnny Cash after performing at the Grand Ole Opry. Cash encouraged the young performer to follow her dreams and to trust her own feelings and instincts when it came to decisions about her career.

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Of the options below, who is Dolly's sister, a successful country singer in her own right?
Rebecca
Stella
Willadeene
Avie Lee
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Stella Parton, four years younger than Dolly, entered the country music scene in 1967. In 1975, she had her first country hit, "I Want to Hold You in My Dreams Tonight," which made it into the Top 10 on the country charts.

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Can you name the 1980 Hollywood movie that Dolly Parton appeared in with Jane Fonda?
9 to 5
Coat of Many Colors
Country Christmas
Unlikely Angel
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Released in 1980, "9 to 5" starred Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton. The movie, which cost $10 million to make, was a big success and brought in more than $100 million in the United States alone.

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True or false? Freida Parton, Dolly's younger sister, released a punk album in the 1980s.
True
False
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Incredibly, it is true. In 1984, Freida Parton released an album called "Two Faced." She even appeared on MTV with her single, Oriental Dolls. Today, Freida is an ordained minister.

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Dolly Parton has her own theme park based on her life. What is it called?
Dolly Land
Dollywood
Dolly's Place
Parton Paradise
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The entertainment park now known as "Dollywood" has been in operation since 1961. In 1986, Dolly Parton purchased a stake in the park and it was renamed to its current name. In 2010, she was fully involved in its operation. The park employs 3,000 people and in 2018, USA Today readers ranked it the 6th best amusement park in America.

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When Dolly was born, how did her parents pay the doctor?
With a sack of oatmeal
They paid him off over 10 months.
With money their other children had saved
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dolly's parents were extremely poor and lived off the meager earnings from their tobacco farm. The doctor who helped deliver Dolly was paid, not in money, but with a sack of oatmeal.

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Do you know the name of Dolly Parton's husband?
Porter Wagner
Merle Haggard
Carl Dean
Kris Kristofferson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Carl Dean has stayed out of the limelight since marrying Dolly Parton in 1966. A former asphalt paver, Dean does not tour with Dolly and she says he has only seen her perform once. They renewed their wedding vows in 2016 for their 50th anniversary.

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What is the name of Dolly's best friend, someone she has known since the third grade?
Judy Ogle
Stella McRibbens
Daisy Duke
Eleanor Antwerp
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dolly Parton and Judy Ogle first met in the third grade and remain firm friends. Ogle was even portrayed in the movie that shows Dolly's early life, "Coat of Many Colors."

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Which famous country singer does Dolly Parton consider her first "crush"?
Hank Williams
Merle Haggard
Johnny Cash
George Jones
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dolly Parton had a crush on Johnny Cash when she started out in the music business. Parton met Cash after performing at the Grand Ole Opry where the country legend advised her to follow here heart and instincts when it came to career decisions.

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True or false? Dolly Parton's early success in country music came as a songwriter, not a singer?
True
False
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dolly Parton had a lot of success writing songs for others at the beginning of her career. She penned two Top 10 songs with her uncle, Bill Owens, in the mid-'60s. These were “Put It Off Until Tomorrow" for Bill Phillips and “Fuel to the Flame” for Skeeter Davis.

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Dolly Parton did not write her first country music single. Released in 1967, do you know what it was called?
Islands in the Stream
9 to 5
Dumb Blonde
Rockin' Years
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Dumb Blonde" was Dolly Parton's first country single. It was written by Curly Putman. It was a relative success for Dolly and managed to climb to No. 24 on the country charts.

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Can you name the TV show that Dolly Parton appeared in that introduced her to a wider audience?
The Porter Wagoner Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
Saturday Night Live
Little House on the Praire
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Porter Wagoner Show was a musical television variety show hosted by country artist Porter Wagoner. Dolly Parton made 218 appearances on the show between 1967 and 1975 which helped launch her into superstardom.

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"Islands in the Stream" was a massive hit for Dolly Parton and which other country artist?
Garth Brookes
Tim McGraw
Keith Urban
Kenny Rogers
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Released in 1983, "Islands in the Stream" was a massive hit for Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. It went to No. 1 on the Billboard, Country and Adult Contemporary charts in America. It was written by the Gibb brothers of Bee Gees fame.

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What is the name of the 1982 Hollywood movie in which Dolly Parton appeared with Burt Reynolds?
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Joyful Noise
Gnomeo and Juliet
Wild Texas Wind
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Starring Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise and Dolly Parton, "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" was released in 1982. Parton received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical for her role as Mona Stangley. The movie grossed $69 million in the United States.

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How many Grammy Awards has Dolly Parton won?
Two
Eight
Three
27
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dolly Parton has won eight Grammy Awards during her career. She has been nominated a staggering 46 times. She has also won three American Music Awards, 10 Country Music Association Awards and seven Academy of Country Music Awards.

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True or false? Dolly Parton is only one of 22 female artists to win the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year Award.
True
False
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's actually fewer than that. Only seven female artists have won the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year Award, including Dolly Parton.

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Dolly Parton holds the record number of albums to have reached the Top 10 on the country music charts. How many has she had?
41
Three
Eight
99
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

That's some feat, is it not? Dolly Parton has had 41 of her albums reach the Top 10 of the country music charts over the course of her career. From those 41 albums, 110 singles have charted as well! Incredible!

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Can you name the free book gifting service started by Dolly Parton to help improve child literacy?
Imagination Library
Books for U
Free Books for All
Library for Kids
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

First launched in 1995, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is a huge undertaking that sends free books to children around the world. It is aimed at children from their birth until they begin school. By 2003, the Imagination Library had sent more than 1 million books to kids. It now runs in not only the United States but Canada, the United Kingdom, ​and Australia and recently gifted its 100 millionth book!

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Which Dolly Parton song was inspired by a bank teller who flirted with her husband?
Peace Train
Here You Come Again
I Will Always Love You
Jolene
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Released in 1974, "Jolene" gave Dolly Parton her second solo No. 1 song. It was nominated for two Grammy's that year but didn't win. "Jolene" reached No. 60 on the Billboard charts and No. 7 in the United Kingdom. In 2017, Parton won a Grammy for the song when Pentatonix released an acapella version on which she sang.

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Dolly Parton starred alongside Sylvester Stallone in which 1984 movie?
Rhinestone
Dumplin'
A Country Christmas Story
Blue Valley Songbird
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

With Sylvester Stallone contributing to the screenplay, 1984's "Rhinestone" saw Dolly Parton in a starring role. Stallone commented after the release of the movie that it certainly was not one of his favorites but that Parton was a brilliant leading lady and a pleasure to work with.

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What was considered to be Dolly Parton's first crossover hit?
Here You Come Again
Puppy Love
Something Fishy
Why Did You Come Here Looking Like That
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Released in 1977, "Here You Come Again" quickly went to No. 1 on the country charts. It soon gained traction on the Billboard Hot 100 and worked its way to No. 3. At the time, Dolly Parton said of her crossover success: "I am not leaving country. I am just taking it with me."

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True or false? Dolly Parton has been nominated for two Academy Awards.
True
False
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dolly Parton has been nominated for two Academy Awards. The first time was in 1981 when "9 to 5" was nominated for Best Music, Original Song. The second time was in 2006 when "Travelin' Thru" was nominated for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song. Unfortunately, neither won its category.

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In what year was Dolly Parton inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame?
1959
1999
2018
1967
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A true legend of country music, Dolly Parton was inducted into the Country Hall of Fame in 1999. It was the same year in which she released her first bluegrass album, "The Grass is Blue."

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True or false? Dolly Parton holds two Guinness World Records?
True
False
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Yes, she does! In 2018, Dolly Parton entered the Guinness Book of World Records for most hits on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart by a female artist (107) and most decades with a top 20 hit on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart (six).

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How many times has Dolly Parton been voted Country Music Association Female Artist of the Year?
Twice
10 times
20 times
None
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dolly Parton has won Country Music Association Female Artist of the Year on two occasions and they came two years in a row, in 1975 and 1976. In 2016, the Country Music Association presented Dolly with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

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True or false? Dolly Parton always wears long sleeves because she has tattoos?
True
False
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dolly Parton is always seen with her arms covered by long sleeves. Many believed this was because she had tattoos, a fact she confirmed in a 2014 interview. Parton said her long sleeves mostly cover scars because she is so fair, but the few small tattoos she has were for her husband.

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What is the name the 1989 movie in which Dolly Parton appeared with Julia Roberts?
Pretty Women
Mystic Pizza
Steel Magnolias
Jackie's Back
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dolly Parton was not out of her depth surrounded by acting talent such as Sally Field, Olympia Dukakis, Darryl Hannah, Julia Roberts and Shirley MacLaine in 1989's "Steel Magnolias." Made on a budget of $15 million, it grossed more than $80 million in the United States alone! That's what a cast of great actors does for you!

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Do you know the singer to whom Dolly Parton is godmother?
Carrie Underwood
Shania Twain
Miley Cyrus
Taylor Swift
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Not a bad godmother to have at all. And Dolly Parton has appeared with Miley on numerous occasions, including on "Hannah Montana" as well as singing together on various occasions.

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After Dolly Parton graduated from high school in 1964, to which city did she move to pursue her career?
Los Angeles
Nashville
New York
Dallas
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Well, there was no other place she was going to go, was there? Nashville is considered the home of country music in America and Dolly Parton knew that if she was to have a successful career, this is where it would take off.

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What was the name of Dolly Parton's first full length album?
Hello, I’m Dolly
Jolene
Coat of Many Colors
Trio
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Hello, I'm Dolly" was released on February 13, 1967, and reached No. 11 on the country charts. The first single, "Dumb Blonde," reached No. 24 on the country charts as well. A second single, "Something Fishy," managed to chart as high as No. 17.

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True or false? The first cloned animal in the world, a sheep, was named Dolly after Dolly Parton?
True
False
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1996, scientists in Scotland successfully cloned the first mammal. This was a sheep named Dolly. She was named after Dolly Parton since the cell used to clone her was taken from a female sheep's mammary glands.

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You Got:
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WikiCommons via Curtis Hilbun