Photo:Dolly Parton Instagram
Dolly Parton Instagram
ForDolly Parton, the real stars in her life are her six brothers and five sisters: Willadeene, David, Coy, Robert Jr., Stella, Cassie, Randy, Larry, Floyd and twins Freida and Rachel.
When Dolly married her very private husband Carl Dean in 1966, her mother was the only member of their family who was present.Dean died at the age of 82on March 3, 2025, and Stella shared a message onXin response to the sad news.
“On behalf of my sister Dolly, our family and Carl’s familywe appreciate your prayersat this time,” she wrote.
The youngest Parton, Rachel, previously told PEOPLE, “Singing was like breathing at home.” She recalled her and her siblings spending their time “concocting songs” only for their mom to “transcribe the tunes and have the whole tribe sing them after supper.”
“It brought us back together as familyand made us miss mama and daddy a lot,” Dolly told PEOPLE. “They’re gone now, but we get a chance to see our brothers and sisters again and when we were little, and think of mama and daddy and all that they meant to us.”
“I grew up in a very musical family, all my mother’s people were very musical, so I was always around people playing instruments and singing, and my mom singing the old songs,” Dolly told PEOPLE in 2020. “So that was just part of my being and I just knew I loved it. I just continued doing that, it was just a natural thing.”
“My mom’s dead now, but everybody else, they put too much butter, too much lard, they won’t do this and that.But I still cook good!” Dolly said. “I even make little containers of it and give to my brothers and sisters for Christmas. I usually cook a big, big pot, and then I’ll always have some for them to take home and freeze and thaw out and eat when they get to missin’ me.”
Here’s everything to know about Dolly Parton’s six brothers and five sisters.
Willadeene Parton
Ron Frehm/AP
Stella Parton
Mike Marsland/WireImage
Stella was born on May 4, 1949, in Sevierville, Tenn. Like her sister Dolly, Stella launched a career in the music industry. Her debut album, titledI Want to Hold You in My Dreams Tonight,came out in 1975, and skyrocketed her career immensely. As of date, Stella has dropped over 36 albums. She also starred in Dolly’s 2015 filmCoat of Many Colors.
While promoting the filmNothing Is Impossible, Stella told PEOPLE she always has “two or three projects on the cooker, in the slow-cooker” at any given time, whether it’s an album or on-screen project. Though Stella pursued more of a solo career, family collaborations have also been a soft spot of hers.
“Everybody knows that I’m independent. I’m a loner in my family,” Stella said. “But if they need me, if they call me out to help with something, producing, consulting or whatever, I’m always there.”
She continued, “And they respect and honor that from me. But I’ve always been a steadfast, capable person. I certainly don’t think of myself as above average in talent or intellect, but I am above average in productivity. I will work hard.”
At age 19, Stella welcomed son Timothy with then-husband Marvin Carrol Rauhuff. The pair divorced in 1970 after four years of marriage. She was also married to Steven Messer from 1988 to 1991.
Cassie Parton
Katherine Bomboy/NBC/Getty
Cassie was born on Feb. 12, 1951. At a young age, she took up singing and was part of a gospel group with her sisters. Though her professional music career stopped there, she did appear in her sister’s showMy People: Dolly’s Letter Homeas a vocalist in 2013,perKnox News.
Since her stage days, Cassie has retreated out of the spotlight. As for her personal life, she shares son Bryan Melvin Seaver and daughter Rebecca Ann Seaver with husband Larry Seaver.
Randy Parton
Todd Wetherington/The Daily Herald/AP
Born on Dec. 15, 1953, near the family’s home in Sevierville, Tenn., Randy was the eighth child of the 12 Parton siblings. Much like his famous older sister, Randy had quite a prosperous career in music. In 1986, he headlined his own show at Dollywood and went on to produce chart-topping hits like “Hold Me Like You Never Had Me” and “Shot Full of Love.” He was even featured in a duet with Dolly called “Old Flames Can’t Hold a Candle to You.”
In January 2021, the renowned singer-songwriter died at age 67. Dolly revealed the sad news on Facebook, sharing that her brother “has lost his battle with cancer,” though she and the family found comfort in knowing “he is in a better place than we are at this time.”
Larry Parton
Avie and Robert’s ninth child, a son named Larry, died four days after his birth in July 1955. His death is the subject of Dolly’s 2015 movieCoat of Many Colors, which is also based on the country star’s 1971 hit of the same name.
Dolly was just 9 years old when Larry died and experienced “a lot of heartache.” She added: “All things are hard, but that is what makes your memories. That is what makes you who and what you are.”
Floyd Parton
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty
Floyd was born on June 1, 1957, in Sevierville, Tenn. Like several of his siblings, he found great success in music and even worked alongside sister Dolly. The duo wrote the 1991 duet “Rockin’ Years” with Ricky Van Shelton and “Nickels and Dimes” off Dolly’sHeartbreakeralbum, both of which hit No. 1 on the charts.
Described as “a renaissance man” with a deep appreciation for the great outdoors, Floyd died in December 2018 at the age of 61. Dolly honored her younger brother and longtime songwriting partner with a song at the private memorial service.
Freida Parton
Also born on June 1, 1957, in Sevierville, Tenn., Freida is Floyd’s twin sister. In her early life, Freida performed in a punk band, which was quite a departure from her family’s country roots. Albeit, she occasionally sang backup on Dolly’s albums.
In 2014, Freida became an ordained minister. She opened a joint chapel and antique store in her hometown of Sevierville called Parton Family Wedding Chapel & Antiques.Speaking withKnoxville News Sentinelat the time, Freida explained she was inspired to “do something really special.” She added: “I love weddings and I love being a part of it because a little bit of that love falls on me. And if I can be a blessing to someone else, I’ve done my job.”
Freida’s daughter, Jada Andersen, has followed in her mom’s and aunt’s musical footsteps. Her stage name is Jada Star, and in 2018 she released her debut album,Long Way Home, alongside her good friend Barry J.
In 2023, Jada appeared on ABC’sClaim to Fame, a reality show that brings 12 celebrity relatives together as 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 born on Aug. 31, 1959, in Sevierville, Tenn. Back in the day, Rachel was one of the lead vocalists in the band Honey Creek, which she started with her late brother, Randy.
She eventually transitioned into the world of acting, and is best known for her role in the ABC sitcom9 to 5,based on Dolly’s film of the same name. In the series, which aired from 1982 to 1988, Rachel portrayed a dramatized version of herself under the name Doralee.
Before she was a recognized actress, Rachel was Dolly’s wing-woman. In a previous interview with PEOPLE, Rachel recalled makeup being her true passion as a young girl; she even spent time on the road with Dolly as her makeup artist and backup singer.
After eighth grade, Rachel dropped out of school and joined Dolly on the road full-time. She then met her future husband Richard Dennison, who had been hired as Dolly’s new pianist. They dated for three years before tying the knot in 1979.
In September 2024, Rachel and Dolly released a cookbook titledGood Lookin' Cookin': A Year of Meals, which includes more than 80 Parton family recipes.
“Everybody knew to be there at the right time,” Rachel told PEOPLE of supper time growing up. “We wanted to be together.”
David Parton, Coy Parton and Robert Lee Parton Jr.
Unlike their famous sisters, brothers David, Coy and Robert Lee have all led private lives out of the spotlight. David and Coy, born in 1942 and 1943, respectively, are Dolly’s older brothers. Her younger brother, Robert Jr., was born in 1948.
On Nov. 15, 2024,David died at age 82. He passed away at his home in White Pine, Tenn.
source: people.com
