Inside The Devastating Details Of Dolly Parton’s Childhood

Dolly Parton is known for her rhinestones, big personality and seemingly endless optimism. But behind the glamorous career is a life marked by poverty, loss, health struggles and heartbreaking moments. The country music star grew up in a one-room cabin in Tennessee as one of 12 children. Money was extremely tight, and her family often had to make do with very little. Those humble beginnings later inspired some of her most beloved songs, including ‘Coat of Many Colors’. She also experienced devastating loss at a young age. When Parton was nine, her baby brother Larry died just four days after he was born. Speaking to Fox News, Parton explained that, because there were so many children in the family, she helped care for him a lot, which meant that his passing came with “a lot of heartache.” As a child, Parton was seriously injured when she jumped over a fence and landed on a broken Mason jar, nearly severing three of her toes. With little money for medical care, her mother treated the injuries herself, using cornmeal and kerosene before sewing the toes back together with sewing needles.