ROBERT LEE PARTON – THE REMARKABLE LEGACY OF DOLLY PARTON’S FATHER
WHO IS ROBERT LEE PARTON?
Robert Lee Parton was born in March of the year 1921. Robert Lee, the offspring of Walter and Bessie Parton, was raised in a predominantly conventional manner during his formative years, wherein agricultural labor played a significant role.
In order to provide for their families, Robert Lee and a large number of other children who were brought up by farmers and sharecroppers were forced to forego participation in school and work. Rather than being viewed as a choice, it was perceived as an obligation. His style of life meant that he was unable to acquire the skills necessary to read and write, which was a great disappointment for Lee. It goes without saying that he augmented these abilities by becoming an experienced farmer, a clever deal maker, and a skillful tradesman himself.
Although he may have been able to raise his family with limited resources, Lee was able to impart a great deal of love and knowledge to each of his little ones. Despite this, he would experience the burden of illiteracy for a significant portion of his life. In addition, Robert Lee Parton is the parent of Dolly Parton, who is a well-known celebrity in the United States of America. On Sunday, November 12, 2000, Robert Lee Parton passed away at the Baptist Hospital of East Tennessee in Knoxville. Read the main article to learn more about Robert Lee and his background!
Birth
On March 22, 1921, Robert Parton was born in the United States of America to his father, William Walter Parton, and his mother, Bessie Elizabeth Rayfield. In the town of Sevierville, Lee Parton was raised by a family of farmers. Rather than concentrating on his studies, he was required to assist his family on the farm, as was customary during that era. A family with a limited income was Robert Lee Parton’s family’s background.
Unfortunately, he was never able to enroll in school and study. It was Robert’s goal to motivate his way of life forward. Eventually, Robert Lee Parton would acquire ownership of the land where he had previously worked as a sharecropper. In order to provide for his family, he would cultivate his own tobacco on these grounds.
Dolly Parton, his daughter, claims that as he progressed in life, he never lost his sense of humor, his humble spirit, or the profound love that he instilled in her. Robert and Dolly collaborated to establish the Imagination Library, an initiative aimed at offering a monthly selection of age-appropriate literature to children ranging from infancy to five years of age.
Of all the things that Robert was pleased with his daughter’s accomplishments, the thing that made him the most proud was her determination to give back on the greatest scale possible. It was in their home county, Sevier County, which is located in East Tennessee, that they founded the small program. Due to the fact that Robert was illiterate as an adult, Dolly was motivated to establish the humanitarian program that is now operating on a global scale.
Robert Parton’s Personal Life
In the year 1939, Robert Lee Parton tied the knot with Avie Lee Owens Parton. It was from a little cotton-growing community in South Carolina that his significant other Avie was originally from. Additionally, it has been attributed to her that she was one of the earliest musical influences that their daughter Dolly ever had. During the formative years of the aspiring actress, her mother crafted a bespoke corncob doll for her. After sitting on the porch and singing a song about it, Avie Lee hastily jotted down the lyrics to what would become Dolly’s very first song, which was titled Little Tiny Tasseltop.
Lee and Avie Lee had a total of 12 offspring, out of which 11 successfully reached adulthood. Born to Robert and Avie Lee Parton, the large family spent their childhood in Sevier County, Tennessee, close to the Smoky Mountains. This location was also just a short distance away from Parton’s amusement park, Dollywood. They had very little at the time, but what they did have was a strong passion for music, which was instilled in them by their mother. Avie constantly encouraged her children to sing at home and at church, and they were able to do so. There had been a tragic loss of three of Robert and Avie’s children sadly.
According to a story that aired on Fox News in 2015, Larry Parton passed away only six days after his birth in 1955. At the age of 61, Floyd Parton, who had been Dolly Parton’s songwriting partner for a very long time, passed away in 2018. Floyd had composed and performed a number of songs for Dolly over the course of her career. Some of these songs include Rockin’ Years from the album Eagle When She Flies, Nickels and Dimes from the album Heartbreaker, and Waltz Me to Heaven from the album Rhinestone.
Last but not least, Randy Parton passed away in January 2021, at the age of 67, following a long and courageous fight against cancer. Not only did Randy perform with his band, Moonlight Bandits, but he also contributed his voice to the soundtrack of the film Rhinestone from 1984.
Additionally, Randy and his sister, Rachel, were members of the acapella group Honey Creek, which was established in Dollywood. But the rest of the Parton children are still alive, and several of them continue to perform alongside Dolly Parton.
The dreams of his daughter, Dolly, were something that he believed in, and he was a source of strength and a guiding light. The journey that Dolly took was influenced by his steady support and the musical atmosphere that he helped to establish. Additionally, Dolly’s success can be attributed to his presence, despite the fact that he was not the center of attention at the time. His influence on Dolly’s life and music is incalculable, despite the fact that his name may not be as well-known as Dolly’s.
The Death of Robert Lee
In Knoxville, Tennessee, on November 12, 2000, Robert Lee Parton, who was 79 years old and from Sevierville, Tennessee, passed away in the Baptist Hospital of East Tennessee. A stroke or stroke that he had suffered in the weeks preceding his death caused problems that ultimately led to his death. Avie Parton had passed away in Sevierville, Tennessee, in the year 2003. Her age at the time was eighty years old. Dolly Parton’s body of work ensures that Robert Lee Parton Sr.’s legacy will endure. His demise was followed by a family that persisted in commemorating his legacy through their musical expressions and achievements.