Superstar Aunt-Granny Dolly Parton: Everybody's Kids Are Mine

Written By Savvy Auntie Staff Writers
Country superstar Dolly Parton, who turned 70-years-old earlier this year, just released her latest album, Pure & Simple, and tells the Mirror her thoughts on her long career and aunthood.
Her family life is strong as ever. Dolly and her husband of 50 years, Carl Dean, celebrated their silver wedding anniversary by renewing their vows last May. And with eleven brothers and sisters and dozens of nieces and nephews Dolly has taken on the moniker of "Aunt-Granny" and added "GeeGee" for her great-nieces and great-nephews. "I've loved their kids just like they're my grandkids, and now I've got great-grand-kids!" Parton told PEOPLE Country in 2014.
When asked by the Mirror if she had put her career ahead of motherhood, Parton said her career wasn't why she remained children. “I know lots of women that had great careers and made great parents," Parton explained. "It’s possible to do both and do it successfully.”
The country star told PEOPLE Magazine that while having children was not to be, she is happy being an aunt to so many children: "I often think, it just wasn't meant for me to have kids so everybody's kids can be mine." While she has her hands more-than-full with her siblings' children and grandchildren, Parton is also Miley Cyrus's godmother. Moreover, she is a BenevolAunt to many children through her non-profit, Imagination Library. The organization provides books free to preschoolers.
She shared with PEOPLE that the children, who call her the "Book Lady," think of her as a Mother Goose or Fairy Godmother figure: "I'm like a cartoon character – my voice is little and I'm an excitable little person like them! I'm very childlike in that way, in my nature."
Parton revealed to the Mirror that “in the early days [she and her husband] wanted children, but I have had so
many younger brothers and sisters who have children, and my little
nieces and nephews feel like grandchildren to me. And now at 70, Parton is OK with her fate not to have her own children and is focused on being Aunt-Granny and GeeGee. "Now I’m older, I’m almost glad it’s like it is. I can send them home if they get too rowdy.”
Here's to Aunt-Granny and GeeGee Dolly! She is a true CelebAuntie "Auntspiriation!"
Dolly Parton's latest album, Pure & Simple, was released on August 19, 2016.
Photo: Pure & Simple album cover
Published: August 24, 2016