She left the Porter Wagoner Show in 1974 and went solo with her own recording label.
In the years that followed, Dolly found even greater fame with hits like “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You” and crossover songs like “Here You Come Again.” For her, it wasn’t fame though, it was just God’s incredible blessings.
“Any time I write something that is just a line that I know didn’t come from me, I just sort of say, ‘Hey, give me a high five, Lord. Give me a thumbs up,’” she said.
She spent time developing her acting career before Dolly later branched out in a completely different direction. She bought her own theme park, in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It quickly coined the name “Dollywood,” which is now the name of the park today.
“I always thought that if I made it big or got successful at what I had started out to do, that I wanted to come back to my part of the country and do something great, something that would bring a lot of jobs into this area,” she said when Dollywood celebrated its 25th operating season in 2010. The park is the #1 employer in Sevier County.
Dolly’s Christian faith is one that cannot be overlooked — and is often criticized
Not only does she openly speak loud and proud about it, she truly lives it. Despite naysayers and skeptics who are stunned by her outspoken Christianity, Dolly remains undaunted.
“People say, ‘Well, I am surprised that you talk about your faith,’ and I say, ‘Why not? That’s who I am. That’s what keeps me going,’” she said.
What a simple yet hearty dose of Truth.
Dolly went above and beyond, once again showing God’s love for people everywhere.
Two separate wildfires were burning in the Great Smoky mountains, near Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Fourteen people tragically lost their lives, and more than 2,400 structures were either damaged or destroyed.
She announced her Dollywood Foundation would provide $1,000 per month for the next six months to Sevier County families who lost their homes in the wildfire. Then she even took it a step further. Dolly planned a telethon just two weeks before Christmas to raise money for the “My People Fund,” which would pay for fire victims’ expenses. The three-hour event raised more than $9 million.