Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean was born on January 19, 1946, in Sevier County, Tennessee, the fourth of 12 children of Robert Lee Parton (1921-2000), a farmer and construction worker, and his wife Avie Lee (née Owens; 1923-2003). Professionally known as Dolly Parton, she is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, actress, author, businesswoman, and philanthropist, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Dolly Parton made her album debut in 1967, with her album Hello, I'm Dolly.