When one says the name Dolly Parton, for most the immediate image that comes to mind is a globally beloved superstar and Country Music Hall of Famer known for her enduring songs, her charismatic personality, larger-than-life style, rags-to-riches story of grit and dedication, as well as her charitable efforts such as her Imagination Library. But longtime Parton fans have also watched over the decades as the East Tennessee native has steadily built a multifaceted business empire that has made her one of the world’s most recognizable, and enduring, stars.
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Her songs including “9 to 5,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You” established her as a songwriting powerhouse, while her performances, recordings and collaborations helped make her an entertainment legend. In the process, Parton’s business acumen was apparent early on, as she retained ownership of many of the songs she wrote, including famously turning down Elvis Presley‘s offer to record the Parton-written “I Will Always Love You” because Presley’s manager, Col. Tom Parker, insisted that Parton give up half of her publishing royalties on the song in the process.
In a 2020 Billboard cover story, Parton said, “That was one of the hardest things I ever had to do, because I loved Elvis.”
Creatively, she proved herself to be adept in multiple lanes, from music to books to movies. Parton has also used her musical success as a foundation for an increasingly diverse portfolio of business ventures, ranging from her famed Dollywood theme park in Sevier County, Tenn., to her soon-to-be opened SongTeller Hotel in Nashville.
Beyond music and entertainment, Parton — who died on Aug. 25 at the age of 80 — worked hard to build her name, image and music into a powerful, versatile global brand. That brand has spanned across an array of business and licensing categories ranging from beauty and food to hospitality and pet products.
Below, Billboard highlights some of Parton’s abundant business endeavors, partnerships and/or licensing deals that she has launched through the decades, and how she’s turned her songs into an enduring business enterprise. While this list is by no means comprehensive, it helps to highlight the breadth and diversity of the Parton business acumen.
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Dollywood
This Pigeon Forge, Tenn. theme park originally began as the Rebel Railroad in 1961 and was renamed as Goldrush Junction and then Silver Dollar City in the 1970s. But in 1986, Parton teamed with the Herschend family, and the theme park reopened as Dollywood. The 165-acre park boasts over 50 rides and attractions, including Big Bear Mountain, Thunderhead, Mystery Mine and Wild Eagle, as well as museums dedicated to telling Parton’s life story. Dollywood welcomes over 3 million visitors per year.
Over the years, she expanded the venture to also include Dollywood’s Splash Country, as well as the hotels Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa and Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort.
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Owepar Entertainment
Owepar Entertainment was initially launched as Owepar Publishing in 1967 by Parton and her uncles Bill Owens and Louis Owens in order to administer Parton’s songwriting business. The company has published songs from artists including Porter Wagoner, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris and others. Owepar was active as a publishing company until 1981 and relaunched in 2019 as Owepar Entertainment.
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Blue Eye Records
Dolly Parton launched her own independent record label, and released albums including The Grass Is Blue, Little Sparrow and Precious Memories, often teaming with other label partners for projects.
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Velvet Apple Music
In addition to owning a label, Dolly Parton also launched the music publishing company Velvet Apple Music, which oversaw hundreds of her compositions. In 2017, Concord Music Publishing entered an exclusive international publishing agreement covering Parton’s songs, including those in the Velvet Apple Music catalog in key global territories including the U.K., Germany, France and Latin America. In 2019, she made an agreement with Sony Music Publishing to represent her music catalog in the United States.
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Fireside Studios
In 1967, Parton joined fellow country artist Porter Wagoner’s television show, The Porter Wagoner Show. Wagoner and Parton went on to release 13 collaborative studio albums and notched 21 singles on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart.
In 1973, Parton, Wagoner and Parton’s uncle Louis Owens partnered to launch Fireside Studios in Nashville. Music from not only Parton and Wagoner but also artists including Merle Haggard, Emmylou Harris and Jerry Lee Lewis was recorded in that Music Row-area facility.
In 1974, Parton left Wagoner’s show to focus on her solo career. Fireside Studios shuttered in the mid-2010s.
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Sandollar Productions
In 1985, Parton and her manager at the time,Sandy Gallin, teamed up to create Sandollar Productions. Sandollar later created the subsidiary Sandollar Television which produced the television series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, its spinoff Angel, as well as the films Father of the Bride (1991) and Sabrina (1995). The company underwent multiple name changes over the years until it returned to Sandollar Productions in 2019 following Gallin’s passing in 2017.
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Dolly Parton’s SongTeller Hotel
Slated to begin accepting reservations in September this hotel is based in downtown Nashville. The hotel will feature areas including a musical showcase space called Parton’s Live, a cocktail area named Jolene’s and SongTeller Cafe.
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Dolly’s Life Of Many Colors Museum
Dolly’s Life Of Many Colors Museum is located inside the new SongTeller Hotel and will hold its grand opening on Sept. 29. The space will be an immersive retrospective exhibit celebrating the life and career of Parton highlighting every decade of her journey from her home in East Tennessee to becoming one of the world’s biggest stars.
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Dolly Parton’s Stampede
D olly Parton’s Stampede dinner show blends equestrian entertainment comedy music pyrotechnics while also offering dinner service.
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Dolly ’ s Tennessean Travel Stop
I n June Dolly opened Dolly Parton ’ s Tennessean Travel Stop in Cornersville Tenn about an hour south of Nashville The part on themed space offers both regular diesel fuel full service restaurant bar grab-and-go food options showers laundry services live music entertainment community dog park outdoor seating outdoor game area more
Dolly Beauty
P arton was always known for her devotion glamour sparkle beauty so she gave fans treat when she launched Dolly Beauty in
2024 The line featured makeup including lipsticks lip glosses mascara perfumes
