Dolly Parton has been a staple in country music for decades, but long before she had a legion of fans, her biggest support group was her family. As one of 12 children to Robert and Avie Lee Parton, Dolly and her 11 siblings grew up in a two-bedroom cabin in Locust Ridge, nestled against the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, and according to her youngest sibling, sister Rachel, "Singing was like breathing at home." The musical family would often spend time "concocting songs," and their late mom would "transcribe the tunes and have the whole tribe sing them after supper," Rachel told People. Find out more about Dolly's six brothers and five sisters below.
Willadeene Parton, 84
© InstagramThe oldest of the Parton siblings, 84-year-old Willadeene, briefly ventured into music as a member of a gospel singing group with her sisters before finding fame as an author. She wrote a family memoir titled Smoky Mountain Memories: Stories from the Hearts of the Parton Family in 1996, and followed it up with a 1997 cookbook, All-Day Singing & Dinner on the Ground. She lives a private life in her native Tennessee.
David Parton
© Getty ImagesDavid lived his life mainly out of the spotlight, and little was known about him. In November 2024, his sister, Stella Parton, took to X to announce his "peaceful" passing at the age of 82. "My brother David passed away peacefully this morning. It's never easy to say goodbye to a loved one, but he got his angel wings and is now at peace," she wrote.
Stella Parton, 75
© Getty ImagesA prolific musician just like her sister, now 75-year-old Stella has released more than 30 albums since the 1960s, even scoring a top-ten country hit with the 1975 song "I Want to Hold You in My Dreams Tonight." She has ventured into acting as well, making appearances in TV and film, including her sister's Coat of Many Colors (2015) and Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love (2016), plus Celebrity MasterChef in 2018.
Cassie Parton, 73
© Getty ImagesCassie, 73, maintains a more private life with her husband Larry Seaver and their two children. She was part of the gospel group with her sisters at a young age, and appeared as a vocalist in the 2013 special My People: Dolly's Letter Home.
Randy Parton
© AFF/Alamy Stock PhotoRandy was a musician just like his siblings, performing with his band Moonlight Bandits, and was the original artist to record the 1982 track "Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)" (which became a 1984 number one for the band Alabama). He closely collaborated with his sister Dolly as well, performing a track for her Rhinestone soundtrack in 1984. He passed away in 2021 at the age of 67 following a long battle with cancer.
Larry Parton
Larry tragically passed away just four days after his birth in July 1955. Coat of Many Colors depicts the family's response to the heartbreak, which Dolly elaborated on in a 2015 interview with Fox News, calling him "my baby." "All things are hard, but that is what makes your memories. That is what makes you who and what you are," she shared.
Floyd Parton
© Getty ImagesBorn June 1, 1957, Floyd ventured into the art of songwriting and often wrote for Dolly, including the 1978 song "Nickels and Dimes," "Waltz Me to Heaven" from 1984's Rhinestone, and 1991's "Rockin' Years." Floyd passed away in December 2018 at the age of 61, and the entire family gathered together at his memorial service to perform the song "Rockin' Years" in tribute.
Freida Parton, 67
© Getty ImagesFloyd's twin, Freida, who worried fans when she asked for prayers amid Dolly's "health challenges" in September and October 2025, started in a punk band, unlike many of her country music-oriented siblings, but stepped away from the music industry not long after to become an ordained minister, opening a chapel and antique store in the family's hometown. Her daughter, Jada Andersen (who goes by Jada Star), is also a musician who appeared in 2023 on the ABC show Claim To Fame as herself, aka Dolly's niece.
Rachel Parton, 65
© Getty ImagesThe youngest of the Parton siblings, 64-year-old Rachel (now Rachel Parton George), maintains a life away from the spotlight now, but started as a makeup artist on the road for her sister and ventured into acting. Her biggest (and only) on-screen role happened to be the sitcom version of Dolly's acclaimed film 9 to 5, which ran originally from 1982-83 and returned in syndication and ran from 1986-88. Dolly and Rachel are now putting out a cookbook together, titled Good Lookin' Cookin': A Year of Meals.
Coy and Robert Lee Parton Jr.
Dolly's older brother, Coy, 81, and her younger brother Robert, 76, both maintain lives away from the spotlight, and very little is known about them.
