Before Dolly Parton was a country megastar, she grew up in a poor family in rural Tennessee. She wrote her first song at age 5 and played her first show at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry at 13. Her ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Pam Windsor lives in Nashville, Tennessee and writes about music. Aug 08, 2025, 06:05am EDT Aug 11, 2025, 11:27am EDT Carrie St.