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The Truth About Dolly Parton's Difficult Childhood

Celebrity - News

By J.E. REICH
Dolly Parton's childhood in Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountain Range was extremely difficult, but it was sadly not an uncommon phenomenon. Many families suffered and continue to suffer from the food insecurity that plagued the Partons.

According to statistics released by the nonprofit organization Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, roughly 13% of Middle Tennessean households experienced food insecurity in 2018, higher than the 12.9% national average. (This area also encompasses the aforementioned Smokies.)

Parton has paid homage to her childhood many times over the years, such as her single "My Tennessee Mountain Home," which memorialized the cabin she grew up in (which is preserved today). Parton even went as far as to include her own epigram in the 75th-anniversary edition of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park's commemorative magazine issue in November 2019.