The country legend has lived in the same home since 1999

Dolly Parton in Dollywood (circa 1993)

 Ron Davis/Getty Images

Dolly Parton is well-known as an all-American national treasure and country legend, with big hits like ‘9 to 5’ and ‘Jolene’. Not just an iconic country music legend, having sold 100 million records worldwide and won 11 Grammys, Dolly has worked extensively as an actor, in films like 9 to 5 (1980), Steel Magnolias (1989) and Dumplin’ (2018). She’s also well known as a philanthropist and in 2020 she donated around $1m for coronavirus research.

She has a consistent and very recognisable signature style, with a high bouffant of blonde hair, go-go boots and plenty of sequins. While she remains one of the most recognisable figures in the entertainment industry, Dolly has managed to maintain a relatively private life away from the spotlight.

A significant part of that private life is where she calls home, which she showed glimpses of for the first time in short Instagram videos during the pandemic. The house seems relatively subdued compared to her famously garish aesthetic, with a white, modern kitchen, yellow hallway and muted beige studio.

Dolly Parton’s current home is in Brentwood, Tennessee, a wealthy suburb just outside of Nashville. Dolly and her late husband Carl (they’d been together since 1964) had apparently lived in the same house since 1999, which they reportedly bought for just $400,000.

Known for its peaceful surroundings and luxurious homes, Brentwood has long been a favoured area for celebrities who want to live close to Nashville’s music scene while enjoying the tranquillity of suburban life. According to the Kiwi Report the house has been vastly extended in their time living there, and it now boasts a tennis court, swimming pool and chapel.

It also apparently has a small farm within, which is a nod to Parton’s rural beginnings in the Great Smoky Mountains. The Brentwood estate is tucked away on a sprawling piece of land that offers seclusion from the public eye, an important feature for such a mega-star.

Forest in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

 B. C. / 500px

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While Dolly Parton’s primary residence is in Brentwood, her heart remains in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, where she was born and raised. This deep connection to her roots is evident in her famous song “My Tennessee Mountain Home,” which paints a picture of the simple, rural life she grew up in.

Parton owns a property in Sevierville, Tennessee, near the Smoky Mountains, where she spent her childhood. This area holds sentimental value to her, as it is where her journey to stardom began. The house, which she apparently calls her ‘Tennessee Mountain Home,’ is a calming retreat, but also a symbol of her upbringing and the place that continues to inspire her music and charitable work. While the original cabin that Parton grew up in no longer exists, she recreated it in Dollywood, her famed theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

While not a personal residence, Dollywood is an essential part of Parton’s life and legacy. The theme park, which attracts millions of visitors annually, is a testament to Parton’s love for her home state and her desire to give back to the community. Amongst the mega-rides and attractions of the park, the quaint cabin replica serves as a very personal revelation and a reminder of simpler times. Dolly famously said of her childhood: ‘We were rich in things that money don’t buy.’ The house is not open to the public, but it remains a cherished place where Parton can reconnect with her past.

Through her Dollywood Foundation and various other charitable efforts, Parton has contributed significantly to her home state. Her Imagination Library, which provides free books to children, started in Sevier County, Tennessee, and has since expanded globally, reflecting her belief in the importance of education and her love for her home.

The sunrise over Smoky Mountain  Tony Barber

Beyond her beloved hometown, Dolly reportedly used to own an relatively humble house in the mountains of Southern California. According to local property records, Dolly sold her snowy retreat on Pine Crest Avenue in Idyllwild in July 2024 for $585,000. In 2014 she sold her adobe-style (a classic burnt-orange bungalow which is common in Los Angeles) West Hollywood house on on Harland Avenue for $1.2 million. The house was ‘cosy’ for celebrity standards at just two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and featured frilly, feminine interiors that are synonymous with Dolly’s country-girl style.