Even among living legends, Dolly Parton’s star shines with unusual brilliance. Her fame casts a wider, brighter light today than at any time in her career of sixty-plus years. The Country Music Hall of Fame member has enjoyed seemingly effortless success as a singer, songwriter, movie and television actor, author, businesswoman, and philanthropist ever since she first hit the record charts in 1967. In truth, however, her achievements required determination to get past those who tried to limit the scale of her dreams.
This exhibition focuses on turning points in Parton’s life and career through the decades, where she overcame obstacles and ignored naysayers to become one of the most beloved and widely recognized celebrities across the world.
Access to the Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker exhibit is included with Museum admission. Advance reservations are encouraged.
Photo © Jim Herrington
Featured Videos
Despite limited opportunities growing up in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, Dolly Parton spun her father’s enterprising work ethic into her own hard-won business savvy. In this video, the Museum’s Allison Moorer discusses how the exhibition Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker explores this theme.
Dolly Parton’s signature visual style emerged when she was a young girl. Instinctively drawn to colorful, shape-hugging clothing, Parton’s sartorial image was born from her desire to stand apart and experience life beyond the Smoky Mountains. In this video, the Museum’s Allison Moorer discusses how the exhibition Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker explores this theme.
Dolly Parton Exhibit Highlights
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Awards Program, Invitation, and Place Cards
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Dolly Parton was invited to attend the annual Country Awards ceremony by performance rights organization BMI, held at Nashville’s Belle Meade Country Club in 1966.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Banjo
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Dolly Parton used this custom-built Gibson five-string banjo at performances in 1992 and on her Halos & Horns Tour in 2002. Custom features include a white metallic finish, rhinestone embellishments, and butterfly motifs on the fingerboard, headstock, and rim.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Show Poster
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Dolly Parton and her Traveling Family Band performed in Spartanburg, South Carolina, November 2, 1975. She formed the group after parting ways with Porter Wagoner in 1974. The band included her sisters Rachel and Frieda, her brothers Floyd and Randy, and her uncles and cousins,. This is a restrike of a Hatch Show Print poster promoting that appearance.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Boots
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Dolly Parton wore these hand-painted, beaded boots, designed by Bambi Breakstone, at the photoshoot by acclaimed portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz for Parton’s 2002 album, Halos & Horns.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Song Manuscript
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This is an early draft of handwritten lyrics by Dolly Parton to her classic song and #1 country hit “Jolene.”
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Magazine Cover
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This issue of People was published in 1977, as Dolly Parton was beginning to look beyond country music for broader acceptance as a pop artist.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Guitar
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Dolly Parton played this Mitchell custom electric guitar at her Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2022.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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First Record
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This 45-rpm disc was Dolly Parton’s first record, recorded when she was thirteen. Released on the Louisiana-based Goldband label in 1959, “Puppy Love” was written by Parton at age eleven. Because she was too young to sign a publishing contract, the song was credited to her uncle Bill Owens. The playful, rockabilly-flavored single received limited airplay but did not chart.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Shoes
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Dolly Parton wore these Andreas-designed, rhinestone-covered platform mules at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, February 10, 2019. The ceremony included a tribute to Parton, in which Miley Cyrus, Little Big Town, Maren Morris, Kacey Musgraves, and Katy Perry performed a medley of her songs. Dolly joined them onstage to sing “Jolene” with Cyrus.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Magazine Cover
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Dolly Parton’s emergence as a successful crossover artist and TV and movie star was examined in this 1980 issue of Rolling Stone.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Tape Recorder
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Dolly Parton used this Sony portable cassette tape recorder when she wrote “I Will Always Love You,” “Jolene,” and “The Seeker.”
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Outfit
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Dolly Parton wore this cowgirl outfit, made by the Western Costume Co., in scenes in the 1980 Hollywood film 9 to 5.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Medallion
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To honor her lifetime of contributions to American culture, Dolly Parton was presented with this Kennedy Center Honors medallion in 2006.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Dress
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Dolly Parton wore this Tony Chase–designed lace dress, embellished with pearl beading, when she performed the R&B classic “I’m a Hog for You Baby” as a duet with the Muppets character Miss Piggy on an episode of Parton’s ABC-TV variety series Dolly! in 1987.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Dress
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Dolly Parton wore this Lucy Adams–designed dress, with lace sleeves and skirt, and a butterfly-shaped rhinestone design, at appearances on The Porter Wagoner Show and the cover of the 1974 album Porter ’n’ Dolly.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Guitar
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This Gibson L-30 archtop acoustic guitar, built around 1935, was played by Dolly Parton in the 1991 music video for “Silver and Gold,” from her album Eagle When She Flies. The instrument was a gift from her brother Floyd Parton.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Dress
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Dolly Parton wore this dress, with balloon sleeves, chiffon skirt, bugle beading, and rhinestone accents at a 1978 photoshoot by celebrity photographer Harry Langdon Jr. The likeness of her on the Dolly Parton–themed pinball machine, made by Bally in 1979, was based on one of Langdon’s photos of her in this dress.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Dress
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Dolly Parton wore this Steve Summers–designed metallic dress, with mesh fabric, spikes, and beaded fringe, in photos promoting her singles “World on Fire” and “We are the Champions/We Will Rock You,” from her 2023 album, Rockstar.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Dress
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Dolly Parton wore this Robért Behar–designed, velvet-and-chiffon dress—embroidered with rhinestones and bugle beading in floral shapes—when she attended the 29th Annual Kennedy Center Honors Dinner at the U.S State Department, Washington, D.C., December 2, 2006..
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Dress
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Dolly Parton wore this sheer overlay—decorated with hand-painted, sequined floral details—and this sequin-covered shoulder piece and matching belt at her concert at Nakano Sun Plaza, Tokyo, Japan, July 30, 1979, and her appearance on NBC-TV’s The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, September 19, 1979.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Outfit
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Designed for Dolly Parton by Lucy Adams, this pantsuit with bell sleeves, bell bottoms, and rhinestone-and-bead embellished floral shapes was worn by Parton when she toured with her Traveling Family Band in 1975, and on the cover of Dolly, her 1975 album also known as The Seeker/We Used To.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Your One Stop Dolly Shop
Find coats of many colors from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM at The Museum Store—and anytime online!
Official Exhibit Playlist
Click below to listen to the Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker Museum-curated exhibit playlist.
PLAN YOUR VISIT
The exhibition Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker runs May 20, 2025 through September, 2026, at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in downtown Nashville.