The name Dolly Parton is synonymous throughout much of the western world with country music. Furthermore, the glamor of her image is one that’s instantly recognizable and has reached iconic status. But her success did not come overnight, and clues to the reasons to her rise to the top can be found in her astrological signs.

Dolly Parton was born on January 19th 1946 in the US state of Tennessee, in the impoverished Sevierville area by the Smoky Mountains. According to the signs of the zodiac she is a Capricorn, symbolized by the goat, and in the Chinese calendar, she was born in the year of the Dog.

Rise of a country icon

Dolly’s story is something of a rags to riches tale. Born into a family of 12 children, she has described her upbringing as ‘dirt poor’. But Capricorns are not ones to let their situation get in the way of what they want. They are naturally goal-orientated and have a talent for single-mindedly focusing on their goals. Once a goal has been achieved, it will not be long before a Capricorn has set themselves a new, even loftier goal.

Dolly began singing and writing music at a very early age, and even as a child she would perform on local Tennessee radio and television shows. By the tender age of 13 she already had a contract with a small local record label. As a Capricorn, she had the advantage of being practical in achieving her ambitions, even at an early age.

But despite these early outlets for her voice and her creativity, success did not come easy for Dolly. Immediately after finishing high school, she moved to Nashville to pursue her dream of a country music career. She had some success writing songs for other country music artists, but it would be almost a decade later before her hit single Jolene would catapult her into the big time in 1973. Though Capricorns can have a tendency towards pessimism at times, Dolly persevered and the rest, as they say, is history.

Devotion and the dog

The Chinese sign of the Dog is immediately obvious in the singer’s personal life and her efforts to help others. Above all else, those born in the year of the Dog are particularly devoted and carry with them a strong sense of duty. This is apparent in her 45-year long marriage, which she has long described as her first and last.

Dog’s also have a tendency to put others before themselves, and will never ignore the sufferings of others or abandon the less needy. These traits are admirably represented in Dolly’s philanthropic work towards people living in the area where she was born and raised, and further afield.

Not forgetting where she came from, she set up the Dollywood foundation. One of the most notable achievements and activities of the foundation is the distribution of free books on a monthly basis to children in the Sevierville area. Building on this success the scheme spread across America, and currently provides an estimated 2.5 million free books annually to children across more than 30 US states.

Dogs are not by their nature money-minded, so the singer’s generosity is understandable. Dogs are however far from saints and are known for their indulgences. Dolly has admitted to spending large sums of money on cosmetic surgery over the years to maintain her iconic image. For those born in the year of the Dog, appearing alluring is an important part of their physical and mental character.

Finally, Dogs are immensely popular amongst virtually all the other animals of the Chinese calendar, as illustrated by Dolly’s continued adoration by millions around the world.