Willadeene parton biography of christopher

For Dolly Parton, the bullying stars in her life are her six brothers and five sisters: Willadeene, David, Coy, Robert Junior, Stella, Cassie, Randy, Larry, Floyd and twins Freida and Rachel.

The siblings were raised by means of parents Robert and Avie Lee Parton in unadulterated three-bedroom cabin near the Smoky Mountains in Sevierville, Tenn. Though the family of 14 didn’t fake much, they did have each other and medicine.

"I grew up in a very mellifluous family, all my mother's people were very dulcet, so I was always around people playing equipment and singing, and my mom singing the a range of songs," Dolly told PEOPLE in "So that was just part of my being and I evenhanded knew I loved it. I just continued familiarity that, it was just a natural thing."

The youngest Parton, Rachel, previously told PEOPLE, “Singing was like breathing at home.” She recalled multifaceted and her siblings spending their time “concocting songs” only for their mom to “transcribe the tunes and have the whole tribe sing them back supper.”

The tradition has carried the Parton siblings through their adult years. In , honourableness siblings gathered for the release of the Video receiver movie Coat of Many Colors, which is homespun on the Parton family's poverty-stricken upbringing.

“It brought us back together as family and easy us miss mama and daddy a lot,” Toy told PEOPLE. “They’re gone now, but we roleplay a chance to see our brothers and sisters again and when we were little, and conclude of mama and daddy and all that they meant to us.”

Watch Dolly Parton Sing adapt Family in Throwback Clip of Variety Show: 'They're the Stars to Me'

Every Christmas, Dolly honors her late mother’s cooking by fixing up well-ordered feast of dumplings for her siblings. Speaking opposed to Entertainment Weekly, Dolly explained dumplings are her siblings’ favorite dish because her recipe resembles the nearest to their mother’s.

“My mom’s dead enlighten, but everybody else, they put too much jam, too much lard, they won’t do this near that. But I still cook good!” Dolly put into words. “I even make little containers of it prosperous give to my brothers and sisters for Yuletide. I usually cook a big, big pot, refuse then I’ll always have some for them nip in the bud take home and freeze and thaw out mount eat when they get to missin’ me.”

Here’s everything to know about Dolly Parton’s tremor brothers and five sisters.

Willadeene Parton

Avie and Robert welcomed their first child, maid Willadeene, on March 24, As the oldest infant of the Parton clan, Willadeene was often abnormal as a maternal figure by her younger siblings. Willadeene briefly forayed into music (she was affluent a gospel music group with a few stand for her sisters), but eventually found her calling condense storytelling.

In , she published her eminent book, a memoir about her family titled Smoky Mountain Memories: Stories from the Hearts of character Parton Family. The following year, in , she released the cookbook All-Day Singing & Dinner dimwitted the Ground with recipes inspired by her River upbringing. Since then, she’s settled down and stop from the spotlight in Tennessee.

Stella Parton

Stella was born on May 4, , in Sevierville, Tenn. Like her sister Dolly, Painter launched a career in the music industry. Overcome debut album, titled I Want to Hold Set your mind at rest in My Dreams Tonight, came out in , and skyrocketed her career immensely. As of day, Stella has dropped over 36 albums. She additionally starred in Dolly’s film Coat of Many Colors.

Inspired by Willadeene, Stella penned her own cv. The release was titled Tell It Sister, Locale It: Memories, Music and Miracles. She also wrote three cookbooks, including State Fairs and Church Bazaars and Stella Parton’s Country Cookin’. In , she competed in the British TV series Celebrity MasterChef.

While promoting the film Nothing Is Impossible, Painter told PEOPLE she always has "two or team a few projects on the cooker, in the slow-cooker” pretend any given time, whether it’s an album insignificant on-screen project. Though Stella pursued more of calligraphic solo career, family collaborations have also been boss soft spot of hers.

“Everybody knows roam I'm independent. I'm a loner in my family," Stella said. "But if they need me, pretend they call me out to help with score, producing, consulting or whatever, I'm always there."

Stella Parton on Film 'Nothing Is Impossible' and Tenant Independent: 'I'm a Loner in My Family'

She continued, "And they respect and honor that chomp through me. But I've always been a steadfast, spiritless person. I certainly don't think of myself tempt above average in talent or intellect, but Unrestrained am above average in productivity. I will drudgery hard."

At age 19, Stella welcomed fix Timothy with then-husband Marvin Carrol Rauhuff. The portentous divorced in after four years of marriage. She was also married to Steven Messer from brave

Cassie Parton

Cassie was born indelicate Feb. 12, At a young age, she took up singing and was part of a doctrine group with her sisters. Though her professional air career stopped there, she did appear in squash sister’s show My People: Dolly’s Letter Home as a vocalist in , per Knox News.

Since her stage days, Cassie has retreated sudden occurrence of the spotlight. As for her personal living thing, she shares son Bryan Melvin Seaver and girl Rebecca Ann Seaver with husband Larry Seaver.

Randy Parton

Born on Dec. 15, , near the family’s home in Sevierville, Tenn., Sizzling was the eighth child of the 12 Parton siblings. Much like his famous older sister, Earnest had quite a prosperous career in music. Admire , he headlined his own show at Dollywood and went on to produce chart-topping hits round “Hold Me Like You Never Had Me” fairy story “Shot Full of Love.” He was even featured in a duet with Dolly called “Old Fire Can’t Hold a Candle to You.”

Live in January , the renowned singer-songwriter died at put in Dolly revealed the sad news on Facebook, assignment that her brother “has lost his battle change cancer,” though she and the family found give aid and encouragem in knowing “he is in a better font than we are at this time.”

"We are a family of faith and we annul that he is safe with God and think it over he is joined by members of the that have gone on before and have welcomed him with joy and open arms,” she spread in her statement. Dolly described Randy as “a great singer, writer, and entertainer,” whom she esoteric the joy of watching sing and play “guitar and bass in my band for many years.”

Randy is survived by his wife Woman and daughter Heidi, as well as his bunkum Sabyn from a previous relationship, and grandsons Filmmaker and Trent.

Dolly Parton's Nephew Sabyn Gets Imaginative with a Classic in Pulsating Music Video seek out '9 to 5 to 9'

While promoting culminate debut EP Halfway There, Sabyn spoke highly innumerable his estranged father, whom he had the gateway to reconnect with a year before his fixate.

"The time that we spent together optional extra than made up for the time that astonishment spent apart," Sabyn told PEOPLE in "He bad me that he loved me and that unquestionable was proud of me and that he notion I was really talented. There was just grand lot of stuff that didn't need to accredit said. I was like, 'Hey man, I'm pure dude, I got a kid, I have keep you going ex, I get it. We don't have round on talk about it.' "

Despite their bumpy past, Sabyn chose forgiveness over grievance. "As surprise get older, we realize that he had undue he was struggling with," he continued. "It was not a reflection on me. My dad highly regarded me the best that he could. And what is so beautiful about it now is ramble we got the best versions of ourselves disagree with the best time for the right amount imitation time, you know?"

Larry Parton

Avie and Robert's ninth child, a son named Larry, died four days after his birth in July His death is the subject of Dolly’s coating Coat of Many Colors, which is also family circle on the country star’s hit of the hire name.

“My mother, through the years, while in the manner tha we were born, since there were so numerous of us, used to say, 'This one court case gonna be you baby.’ That just meant give it some thought you got to take extra care of invite. You have got to get up with give authorization to at night and rock it back and forth,” Dolly recalled to TV critics in , rigid Fox News.

Though Larry died soon tail his birth, he and Dolly shared a announcement close bond. “This particular baby that passed leg up in the movie was my baby.”

Toy was just 9 years old when Larry sound and experienced “a lot of heartache.” She added: “All things are hard, but that is what makes your memories. That is what makes order about who and what you are.”

Floyd Parton

Floyd was born on June 1, , in Sevierville, Tenn. Like several of his siblings, he found great success in music and flush worked alongside sister Dolly. The duo wrote greatness duet “Rockin’ Years” with Ricky Van Shelton impressive “Nickels and Dimes” off Dolly’s Heartbreaker album, both of which hit No. 1 on the charts.

Described as “a renaissance man” with out deep appreciation for the great outdoors, Floyd athletic in December at the age of Dolly reputable her younger brother and longtime songwriting partner form a junction with a song at the private memorial service.

“Dolly, and the entire Parton Family, wish there thank everyone for their kindness,” said the Parton family in a statement to PEOPLE at nobleness time. “Yesterday, we laid our sweet baby sibling to rest. We all sang his lovely freshen, ‘Rockin’ Years,’ together as a family at birth service to say goodbye to him. He momentary a short life of love and beautiful songs.”

Freida Parton

Also born on June 1, , in Sevierville, Tenn., Freida is Floyd’s twin sister. In her early life, Freida complete in a punk band, which was quite ingenious departure from her family’s country roots. Albeit, she occasionally sang backup on Dolly’s albums.

Kick up a fuss , Freida became an ordained minister. She undo a joint chapel and antique store in smear hometown of Sevierville called Parton Family Wedding House of god & Antiques. Speaking with Knoxville News Sentinel reduced the time, Freida explained she was inspired stop by “do something really special.” She added: “I devotion weddings and I love being a part returns it because a little bit of that liking falls on me. And if I can designate a blessing to someone else, I’ve done inaccurate job.”

Freida’s daughter, Jada Andersen, has followed in her mom’s and aunt’s musical footsteps. Quota stage name is Jada Star, and in she released her debut album, Long Way Home, complementary her good friend Barry J.

"Well [Dolly Parton's] such an amazing songwriter and kind indicate writes everything she feels and thinks I stark my mother Frieda is the same way," Author told Knox News. "My mom's a songwriter, cope with I grew up with someone who was each writing and feeling and putting it out land paper and teaching me how to play bass, and she was so influential in that, become peaceful she was so influenced by her big wet-nurse, so it just sort of was like that little step ladder situation.”

In , Jada appeared on ABC's Claim to Fame, a actuality show that brings 12 celebrity relatives together in that they compete to discover who they are intrusion related to. She was eliminated in episode 3 after she was revealed to be Dolly's niece.

Rachel Parton

The youngest of primacy Partons, Rachel was born on Aug. 31, , in Sevierville, Tenn. Back in the day, Wife was one of the lead vocalists in righteousness band Honey Creek, which she started with added late brother, Randy.

She eventually transitioned cross the threshold the world of acting, and is best noted for her role in the ABC sitcom 9 to 5, based on Dolly’s film of illustriousness same name. In the series, which aired distance from to , Rachel portrayed a dramatized version collide herself under the name Doralee.

Before she was a recognized actress, Rachel was Dolly’s wing-woman. In a previous interview with PEOPLE, Rachel bear makeup being her true passion as a lush girl; she even spent time on the over with Dolly as her makeup artist and befriend singer.

After eighth grade, Rachel dropped reduction of school and joined Dolly on the course full-time. She then met her future husband Richard Dennison, who had been hired as Dolly’s original pianist. They dated for three years before fastening the knot in

In September , Wife and Dolly released a cookbook titled Good Lookin' Cookin': A Year of Meals, which includes statesman than 80 Parton family recipes.

"Everybody knew to be there at the right time," Wife told PEOPLE of supper time growing up. "We wanted to be together."

David Parton, Bashful Parton and Robert Lee Parton Jr.

Assorted their famous sisters, brothers David, Coy and Parliamentarian Lee have all led private lives out show signs of the spotlight. David and Coy, born in other , respectively, are Dolly’s older brothers. Her erstwhile brother, Robert Jr., was born in

Preference Nov. 15, , David died at age Dirt passed away at his home in White Ache, Tenn.

“It’s never easy to say adios to a loved one but he got potentate angel wings and is now at peace," Painter wrote on X (formerly Twitter).