What has Dolly Parton not done? The 71-year-old has released more than 40 studio albums, and over 100 singles, starred in award-winning movies and TV shows, opened her own Dollywood theme park, created the philanthropic Imagination Library, and toured all over the world.
Well now, Parton has something else to add to the extensive list. The singer is named not once, but twice, in the latest Guinness Book of World Records, for being the artist with the most hits on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart, with 107 hits by a female, and the most decades with a Top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, spanning six decades on the chart.
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“It’s a good feeling to know that I’ve had hit songs through all those decades,” says Parton. It makes me feel like I’m about 100, which, it won’t be long until I am … I’m just honored and proud that people loved my music all these years.”
Asked what has made her so successful, Parton doesn’t mince words in sharing the secret to her own achievements.
“Hard work, I think people attribute their success to, because you’re not going to do it without hard work,” explains Parton. “It certainly helps to have a talent, and it certainly helps to have a lot of people helping you out. I’ve been blessed with good people all through the years. I always pray that God will bring all the good and right people into my life, and take all the wrong ones out … I don’t think anybody becomes a great success without being willing to work for it.”
Now that she has two world records, the Tennessee native reveals maybe she’d like one more to add to the list, this time for her altruism, instead of her historic career.
“I feel very proud and honored to have two,” Parton says. “And maybe I’ll have another one one of these days. Who knows? I’m not done yet …I just want to get more books in the hands of more children, so maybe someday I can be in the Guinness Book of World Records for giving the most books to the most children.”
Photo Credit: Instagram/DollyParton
