Dolly Parton is all about family.

The country music legend came from a large family in Tennessee and takes her late mom Avie Lee Parton’s words of wisdom everywhere.

Dolly revealed during a May 2025 interview with Today.com, that her late mother always used to tell her: “To thine own self be true.” The line is from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

“There’s a whole lot of meaning in that phrase,” she shared. “Because I’ve always tried to stay true to me. And always, when people ask me for advice, that’s kind of what I tell them.”

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One of 12, Dolly is part of a family that emphasized the importance of music in their household.

“Singing was like breathing at home,” her sister Rachel told People in 1982, recalling the family writing songs only to “transcribe the tunes and have the whole tribe sing them after supper.”

While a few members of Dolly’s family have since died, including her husband, Carl Dean, whose death was announced in March 2025, the singer still has tons of siblings by her side.

Keep scrolling for a breakdown of the singer’s family guide:

Avie Lee Parton and Robert Lee Parton Sr.

Dolly’s parents raised her and the family near the Smoky Mountains in Sevierville, Tennessee. Her father worked in the mountains as a sharecropper and also took on several construction jobs. Meanwhile, her mom stayed home and tended to their rather large brood.

Willadeene Parton

The eldest of Dolly’s siblings was born in March 1940. She was also a singer, but made a name for herself as a writer, publishing a memoir about the Parton family in 1996.

“She’s 85 now and doing great!” Dolly’s sister Freida shared in an August 2025 Facebook post of Willadeene. “She is so talented. She’s a great cook, mother, sister, and she has the greatest heart. She gives of herself to others every day. I have never known anyone like her except my mother. She reminds me so much of our mother.”

David Parton

Dolly’s eldest brother was born in March 1942 and stayed mainly out of the spotlight throughout his life. He died at age 82 in November 2024.

Coy Parton

Coy was born in August 1943 and did not follow in his famous family’s footsteps, opting to spend his life out of the public eye.

Robert Lee Parton Jr.

He was born in February 1948, and has also lived a life out of the public eye.

Stella Parton

Stella was born in May 1949. Just like other members of her family, Stella was a musician. She found success with country songs in the 1970s, releasing several albums over the years. She has also taken on a writing career, publishing a memoir and several cookbooks.

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Stella shares one son with ex-husband Marvin Carrol Rauhuff. She was also married to Steven Messer from 1988 to 1991.

Cassie Parton

Just like her sisters, Cassie — who was born in February 1951 — is also a singer. While she doesn’t have a career in music, Cassie has often appeared alongside her sister Dolly in various projects over the years.

Randy Parton

Randy was born in December 1953, and had a successful country music career prior to his death at age 67 in January 2021 following a battle with cancer.

Larry Parton

Dolly has spoken at-length about her brother Larry, who died four days after he was born in July 1955. Her 2015 movie Coat of Many Colors was about his passing.

In her 1994 memoir, Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business, Dolly remembered her mother falling ill with spinal meningitis while pregnant with her brother — and knowing that he was going to to die.

“She told Daddy that my unborn brother, Larry, would not live,” she wrote. “He had been made ‘my baby.’ and she knew it would be harder for me than anyone else. Mama went into labor on July 4, and Larry was born on the fifth. The angels that had spared Mama called little Larry to be with them.”

Floyd and Freida Parton

Fraternal twins Freida and Floyd were bornin June 1957. Floyd was also a musician, often working alongside Dolly during their respective music careers. He died at age 61 in December 2018.

Freida, meanwhile, briefly followed in her family’s musical footsteps before becoming an ordained minister and opening a chapel and antique store in Tennessee. She also made headlines for asking for prayers for Dolly in October 2025 amid a health scare, with Dolly later clarifying that she was “not dying” and recovering from mild health issues.

Rachel Parton George

Rachel is Dolly’s youngest sister, who joined the family in August 1959. She was originally a singer, before taking on an acting career. She also released a cookbook alongside Dolly in 2024.

Carl Dean

Dolly never had any children, but she was married to Dean for more than 60 years before his death in 2025.

“Carl and I spent many wonderful years together,” Parton shared on social media after his death. “Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.”