Hear Both Of Dolly Parton’s Parents Sing With Her In Rare On-Camera Performance
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Dolly Parton was born with a love for music in her blood.
Dolly grew up in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and was the fourth of 12 children born to her parents, Robert “Lee” and Avie Lee Parton. During an interview with American Routes in 2000, Dolly described her mother’s side of the family as being “very musical.”
Music played a huge role in her childhood, as she explained:
“…I grew up singing in the church. My folks were always singing the old mountain music, the old folk songs from the old world, English, Irish, Welsh, all that stuff, and then with the gospel mixed with the bluegrass so we kind of had a good mixture up there in the Smoky Mountain.”
One piece of “old mountain music” that Dolly Parton sang with her family was the Appalachian folk song, “In the Pines.” The song originated from two others: “The Longest Train” and another tune called “In the Pines.” Their exact authorship remains unknown, but they can be traced back to the 1870s.
The song has been recorded and performed by many artists, most notably Bill Monroe. Dolly also sang “In the Pines” on her television show in the 1970s, and in a rare moment, her parents joined her on camera.
Footage from that Parton family collaboration has resurfaced following Dolly’s death on August 25, 2026. The sweet clip shows Dolly sitting front and center with her mom and dad, with 7 of her 11 siblings seated behind them.
Most of their performance was a group effort, with everyone singing together in beautiful harmony. But there were two solos, with Avie Lee and, later, Lee singing for a brief moment on their own.
This footage is such a treasure to see today, as it captured one of the purest performances that Dolly ever delivered. You can watch it below.
Dolly Parton & Her Family Also Sang “Old Black Kettle” Together
If you enjoyed that performance, you’ll likely love the next one we have to share with you.
On that same episode of her TV show in the 1970s, Dolly Parton, her siblings, and parents united for another song. They sang “Old Black Kettle,” which was written by Dolly.
“Old Black Kettle” was included on her 1973 album My Tennessee Mountain Home. The album’s cover photo depicted the little log cabin that she and her family lived in during the 1940s and 1950s.
The album and Dolly’s TV performance of “Old Black Kettle” prove how proud she was of her roots. She never forgot where she came from or who she was.
Watch Dolly and her family perform “Old Black Kettle” in the clip below.
Dolly Parton Started The Imagination Library Because Of Her Dad
Lee Parton didn’t know how to read or write. Inspired by him, Dolly made it her mission to help children growing up in their home county who didn’t have easy access to books.
Thus, the Imagination Library was born. The program started in Sevier County, where Dolly was from, but has since expanded throughout the U.S. and into the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Canada, and Australia.
The Imagination Library has provided over 330 million free books to children in those countries since the program’s establishment in 1995.
Lee Parton, who died in 2000, told Dolly that, of everything she ever accomplished, creating the Imagination Library was what made him most proud of her.
“Before he passed away, my Daddy told me the Imagination Library was probably the most important thing I had ever done,” Dolly once said.
After Dolly passed away, her family requested that, in lieu of sending flowers, fans could make a donation to the Imagination Library in her memory. If you feel moved to do so, you can visit the organization’s website here.
