Inside Dolly Parton’s Relationship With Her Sister Stella Parton

Dolly Parton has 11 siblings who have been her loyal fans since before she became a country music star. Some of her siblings are also passionate about entertaining and have pursued careers in the music industry. Stella Parton is perhaps the most well-known of these. She has built a successful career in her own right. Stella and Dolly Parton shared a room as children, which caused some difficulties. The Parton family faced extreme poverty while growing up. Due to the limited space in their cabin, Dolly Parton and her siblings had to share a bed. According to Classic Country Music, Stella and Dolly, she shared a bed with a few other siblings. Dolly and Stella Parton had disagreements while growing up. Stella felt estranged from Dolly at school because she was not mature enough to hang out with her and her friends. However, in an interview, Stella emphasized her closeness to Dolly, saying, 'I love her a lot. She loves me a lot, and I think we're alike.' The Parton sisters began singing together when they were only children, as revealed by Stella. Stella Parton balanced gigs and public appearances with attending elementary school. Initially, her solo music career caused friction between her and her sister, Dolly Parton. In 2011, Stella Parton released an autobiography titled 'Tell It Sister Tell It: Memories, Music and Miracles.' In this book, she criticized those who assumed her sister's stardom had made it easier for her to have a career in the music industry. She also revealed that even her own family hasn't always supported her. In 2016, Dolly and Stella Parton recorded a duet called 'More Power to Ya' to celebrate their bond and support for each other. The song's chorus is filled with inspirational mantras, encouraging listeners to stand up and make choices. Both sisters share a love for cooking, but Stella believes she does a better job. Stella and Dolly Parton share a love for music and cooking. Stella has released several cookbooks, including 'Really Cooking' with Stella Parton' in 1990. In 2018, she participated in a season of Celebrity MasterChef, finding the experience challenging. However, she insisted Dolly wouldn't have had an easier time in her shoes. Stella claimed to be a better cook than Dolly and didn't need her advice. In November 2023, she clarified that she didn't think anyone could have done better than Dolly in the kitchen and that the idea would have freaked her out. Stella Parton defended Dolly Parton's halftime show performance against critics. Despite their past disagreements, Stella defends her sister when she feels unfairly criticized. Dolly Parton performed at halftime during the Thanksgiving Day game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Commanders on November 23, 2023. Despite wearing a bedazzled bodysuit underneath her outfit, some criticized her attire as too revealing. Stella defended Dolly on X (formerly known as Twitter) with a strongly worded post. "I thought my big sister Dolly looked cute in her Dallas Cowboys cheerleading costume during the Thanksgiving halftime show," the author wrote. "Shame on you for criticizing her." Ultimately, sisterhood will always prevail.