Dolly Parton $650 million empire: from humble roots to queen of country music, movies and now makeup

Dolly Parton has launched a new beauty line as the legendary country star continues to expand her massive business empire.

The 78-year-old singer recently debuted Dolly Beauty with the rollout of the new brand's first products, which includes four shades of lipstick in rhinestone-encrusted casings featured in her Heaven's Kiss collection.

"I’ve always said I never leave a rhinestone unturned,"  Parton told WWD. "I’ve wanted to be pretty my whole life like most girls, especially country girls that have a dream of glamour."

She continued, "I started creating my own little makeup things at home when I was just a kid, and I’ve been known for wearing makeup — usually too much — for years."

DOLLY PARTON SHARES THE ONE PART OF HER BUSINESS EMPIRE THAT SHE'S 'REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF'

The music icon's makeup line is expected to be a profitable venture, with industry sources telling WWD that they predict it will rake in $20 million in retail sales within the first year of its launch.

The lipsticks' names will be familiar to fans as Parton told the outlet that she "likes to name my products after songs." The collection, which Parton said features a "variety of colors," include Jolene Red, Birthday Suit, Honey Plum and Rosebud.

Parton reteamed with beauty and fragrance licensee Scent Beauty to create Dolly Beauty after they collaborated on her successful fragrance line in 2021. The singer took part in every aspect of Dolly Beauty's product creation, including "formula, pigment, load, ease of application, range and shade names and packaging," Scent Beauty CEO Steve Mormoris told WWD.

"I have to be involved in everything, and I sample and try things and say, ‘Oh, that’s not great, let’s go back and do this or that,’" Parton shared.

"Whether it being the packaging, where it says my name, I want them to think of me when they use it," she added.

Parton and Scent Beauty decided that the marketing strategy for Dolly Beauty's will be direct-to-consumer via her website as opposed to her fragrance line, which is available in retail stores.

The line will expand to include complexion, eye and additional lip products with potential plans for other makeup products in the future.

"I’ve always wanted my own wig line," Parton noted. "But I always loved makeup, and when we did the fragrance, makeup seemed like the next step." 

"Through the years, we’ll be doing different products with makeup, and eventually, we may do hair care or this or that," she continued.

"Anything that has to do with beauty — new dreams come every day," Parton added.

Parton has been making her dreams come true from a young age. The singer rose from humble beginnings to build a business empire that is reportedly worth an estimated $650 million, according to The Economist.

The star was born into an impoverished family living in a one-room cabin in the small town of Pittman Center, Tennessee.

Her father was a sharecropper who later owned a small tobacco farm, and also worked construction jobs to supplement his income. Her mother was a homemaker. 

DOLLY PARTON'S HOME ON WHEELS TURNED INTO $10,000 HOTEL SUITE

Parton's family later moved to the city of Sevierville in East Tennessee, living on a farm near the Smoky Mountains, which would later inspire some of her biggest hits.

After moving to Nashville following her high-school graduation, Parton launched a music career that now spans five decades and cemented her status as an icon of the industry.

Over her 50-year career, Parton has sold over 100 million albums. She achieved a record-breaking 44 top 10 country albums and has had 25 No. 1 hits on Billboard's country chart. Her accolades include 11 Grammy Awards, five Academy of Country Music Awards and three American Music Awards. 

She has also been nominated for an Academy Award, a Tony Award and an Emmy Award. In 2022, Parton was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

A large portion of Parton's vast fortune is derived from her music sales and her catalog of over 3,000 songs. The singer displayed her business acumen at the age of 20 when she started her own publishing company with her uncle Bill Owens, of which she holds a controlling interest. 

Parton owns her entire music catalog, which generates millions in royalties from remakes of her megahit songs, including Whitney Houston's rendition of "I Will Always Love You", and she is paid every time her music is played, covered by other artists and featured in movies.

Aside from her staggering music earnings, Parton owes a great deal of her wealth to her co-ownership of the Dollywood Company, which includes probably her most famous business venture, the Dollywood amusement park located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Parton previously told FOX Business how "very proud" she is of Dollywood.

"That's one of the other things I'm as proud of as anything I've done," she said. "That's a park we started, you know, 30-plus years ago. And it's just a place for families."

The Dollywood Company also manages the water park Dollywood’s Splash Country, Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort, Dollywood Cabins and the dinner theater venues Dolly Parton’s Stampede and Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show.

Parton also augmented her wealth after starring in 22 movies, including hits such as 1980's "9 to 5," 1981's "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" and 1989's "Steel Magnolias." She also has has played numerous roles in TV movies and television shows.

The singer is also a best-selling author. She has penned 11 books to date, including her 1994 autobiography, "Dolly: My Life And Other Unfinished Business." In 2022, she released "Run, Rose, Run," the mystery novel she co-authored with James Patterson.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS

In 2022, the "Jolene" hitmaker launched Doggy Parton, a line of dog clothing and accessories. 

"It’s finally here! Brand new @DoggyParton pet products are available now! Grab your furry friend something special at http://doggyparton.com," she wrote on X.

That same year, she partnered with Duncan Hines to debut a limited line of baking kits. In January 2024, Parton entered into a multi-year partnership with Duncan Hines' parent company Conagra Brands to create a line of food products that will include frozen, refrigerated, grocery and snack items "inspired by down-home comfort cuisine," according to a press release.

"I loved co-creating my Duncan Hines line with Conagra and I'm thrilled we're going well beyond the baking aisle with new items across the store," the "Good Looking Cooking" author said. 

"We're looking to continue to inspire special moments in the kitchen, with some of my family's favorite recipes, and I think people are really going to love them!"  

In June, Parton collaborated with Parton Family Cellars and the international wine company Accolade Wines for her first-ever wine collection named "Dolly Wines." The line launched with three varietals, including Chardonnay, Rosé and Prosecco, with a Sparkling varietal to come in September.

"We are beyond excited to bring Dolly Wines to the world," Accolade Wines Chief Marketing Officer Sandy Mayo said in a press release. 

"Dolly herself was involved in all aspects of each wine, and we think they capture her captivating sense of fun and sparkle perfectly," Mayo added. 

"Like the lady herself, we think everyone, everywhere will love it. Go ahead, pour yourself a cup of ambition!"

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

While amassing a staggering fortune, Parton has prioritized giving back through charitable endeavors. In an interview with FOX Business, she explains one part of her empire that makes her especially proud.

"I have to say I'm proud of all of it," she said of all of her business dealings. "I'm really proud, there's certain charity things and certain things like that that I'm proud of. One of the things I'm really, really proud of is the Imagination Library."

DOLLY PARTON AWARDED $100 MILLION FROM JEFF BEZOS TO GIVE TO CHARITIES OF HER CHOICE

"When we started that 26 years or so ago with my dad, you know, where we give books to children from the time they're born, they get a book once a month until they start school, and they get the book with their little name on it. So, it's going to encourage them to read or encourage somebody to read it for them. And so I think that's their most impressionable years."

Founded in 1995, as Parton explained, the charity allows children to be signed up to receive one book a month from the time they're born up until their fifth birthday. According to the Imagination Library website, one in 10 children in the U.S. benefits from the program.

"And I'm just proud of that," Parton said. "And to date, we've given over 200 million books, and that's a lot of books, that's worldwide. So, that's a lot of kids, and that's a lot of books. And it's a great program that I'm very, very proud of, but I'm proud of everything good that happens."

Fox News Digital's Emily Trainham and Larry Fink contributed to this report.