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Why Did Dolly Parton Choose Not To Have Any Kids? Her Mother Had Twelve Children By The Age Of 35
Dolly Parton grew up surrounded by eleven siblings. However, the singer chose not to have any kids.
Dolly Parton has been one of the most influential figures in the music industry. Although she is a country music star, her aesthetic has inspired many globally acclaimed pop stars, such as Sabrina Carpenter and Miley Cyrus. Apart from being a music legend, Dolly has also been celebrated as a strong and ambitious woman who has always prioritised herself.
In her personal life, Dolly Parton and Carl Dean's marriage stood strong for 58 years until he passed away in 2025. The singer had mentioned many times that they were each other's first and last loves. However, despite the deep love that they shared, Dolly and Carl never became parents by choice. Here's the reason why, even though Dolly grew up in a huge family.
Dolly Parton's mother had twelve children by the time she was 35
Dolly Parton spent her childhood in a two-room log cabin surrounded by eleven siblings. Her parents, Avie Lee Caroline and Robert Lee Parton Sr., had twelve children. Avie became a mother of twelve by the age of 35. Dolly was the fourth of the lot. Despite her delicate health, the singer's mother would do her best to entertain her many children. Dolly said that her mother would sing many ballads that she had heard from her musically inclined family before she got married. These folk songs inspired Dolly a lot. She said in an interview with The Guardian:
"I started making up songs when I was four or five. The first one I can remember was about a little corncob doll that my mother made for me and which I named Tiny Tasseltop. Mamma was fascinated by how I used to rhyme words, so she used to write them down and tell them to people. She kept shoeboxes full of songs that I wrote when I was little."
Dolly Parton, a musical legend and a business genius, attributes both aspects of her success to her parents. She stated that she got her mother's love for music and her father's business savvy. Dolly shared:
"The music came from my mother’s side of the family. My grandpa was a Pentecostal preacher and all his kids – my mom’s brothers and sisters – sang and played instruments. They were big into gospel. I realised very early on that I could do more with it, that I could make it a business and a career."
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Why did Dolly Parton never have any children of her own?
Dolly Parton and her husband, Carl Dean, never had children, and the reason is a mix of their own choice and circumstances. Dolly has always been open about her health issues. The country star was diagnosed with endometriosis, which causes an array of gynaecological issues in women, along with potential infertility. As a result, the couple decided that Dolly should get a partial hysterectomy, and the country star did have the operation at the age of 36. However, there was a time when they considered having children. Dolly once shared with Billboard:
"Early on, when my husband and I were dating, and then when we got married, we just assumed we would have kids. We weren't doing anything to stop it. In fact, we thought maybe we would. We even had names if we did, but it didn't turn out that way."
However, Dolly also shared that neither she nor Carl has ever regretted the decision. The couple mentioned Dolly's younger siblings after they got married. As a result, both of them served as parental figures to the singer's younger siblings. Hence, Dolly's nieces and nephews consider the couple as their grandparents and call them 'Uncle Peepaw' and 'Aunt Granny'. Dolly's Dollywood Foundation has also been widely recognised for its efforts in encouraging education and literacy among children. Talking about not having any kids of her own, Dolly once stated:
"I used to think I should regret it. ... Now I say, 'God didn't mean for me to have kids so everybody's kids could be mine."
What are your thoughts on Dolly Parton not having any children of her own? Let us know.
Also Read: Pam Bondi's Love Life, Twice Divorced Due To Legal Career, Got Engaged To Greg, Cancelled Wedding
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