Country music icon Dolly Parton is considered a gem, and her younger sister is not only a spitting image of the pop star but is also an acclaimed singer in her own right.
Dolly has 11 brothers and sisters, many of whom are also in the entertainment industry. Among the many siblings is Stella Parton, who dwells on singing and acting just like her elder sister. Stella followed in her older sister’s footsteps, making her country singing debut in 1967 and made her name with the chart-topping 1975 song, I Want to Hold You in My Dreams Tonight.
Who is Stella Parton?
Stella Mae Parton is the sixth among twelve children born on May 4, 1949. After starting her entertainment career at the early age of only seven, she appeared on a local television program with her sister, Dolly Parton.Following her on-screen debut in two years, she also made her debut on the radio. Being a singer, Stella even started a group with her sisters Willadeene and Cassie as they tour all over eastern Tennessee, singing gospel music and making commercials.The Country music icon’s younger sister, Stella, started writing songs during her high school years, and her first two albums include several original compositions. The songs reflected the early influences she had as she moved to Nashville. Her song, I Want To Hold You In My Dreams Tonight, went on to become her first hit single, opening many doors for her in country music as she made her own name.
Apart from her singing career, Stella also starred in many television shows in the 1970s as she debuted in one episode of the 1979 action-comedy television series The Dukes of Hazzard. Later, from the 1980s and early 1990s, she appeared in many Broadway touring musicals like Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Pump Boys & Dinettes, and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.ALSO READ: Why does Dolly Parton wear long sleeves? Exploring the rumors behind her clothing choicesHow is Stella Parton’s relationship with Dolly Parton?
Recently, Stella Parton addressed the online criticism her sister received after wearing a replica of the Dallas Cowboys cheerleader uniform. Dolly Parton was performing at The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Kickoff Halftime Show during the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game, and it caused quite a reaction from the netizens. Taking to Twitter, the younger sister wrote, “my big sister Dolly was cute as hell.”Both the sisters have not been in controversy about their sisterhood until March 2019 during the Mee Too Movement wave. Stella Parton once called out Dolly Parton for not speaking out about the issue in the country music industry. The Country music legend came under fire from her own sister after she failed to call out sexual harassment in the industry in light of the #MeToo Movement.ALSO READ: Why was Dolly Parton called ‘trash’ growing up? Exploring her early childhood amid her NFL half-time performance