The country singer with a heart of gold also has a deep rooted faith in God that she credits with giving her the success she has enjoyed throughout her life.
Dolly Parton recently released another album, Blue Smoke, and told Country Woman magazine that faith was at the heart of her life from a young age.
"A belief in God is essential," she said.
"You have to believe in something bigger than yourself. We grew up believing that through God all things are possible. I think I believed that so much that I made it happen."
The faith that saw the Jolene singer through her early years is the same faith that sees her through today - as well as a few talents she's put to good use.
"I just live by that Scripture. The fact that I can write is very helpful too. I can write about anything I feel."
The 68-year-old might have been around for decades but she hasn't lost any of her appeal, recently performing in front of 150,000 people at the Glastonbury music festival in England.
But she credits her family with keeping her "grounded and humble", and always remembers where she came from.
"I know what it's like to be without and I know what it's like to have things. And I appreciate both," she said.
"I used to put a tin can on a tobacco stick. And those were not chickens out there in the yard, they were my audience."
