Dolly Parton's Humble Beginnings: The Cabin Life That Shaped a Legend

The late Dolly Parton may have had one of the world’s most successful careers, but the singer, actress, businesswoman and philanthropist came from extraordinarily modest beginnings.

Parton, who died Tuesday at the age of 80, grew up in a one-bedroom cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains in Locust Ridge, just outside of Sevierville, Tennessee. She was the fourth of 12 kids, and per historical records of the region, the cabin had no electricity or running water.

She was born on Jan. 19, 1946, to parents Avie Lee Caroline and Robert Lee Parton Sr. in Pittman Center, Tennessee, and part of a family that included siblings Willadeene, David, Coy, Robert Jr., Stella, Cassie, Randy, Larry, Floyd and twins Freida and Rachel, all sharing space in the small home.