Adding another accolade to her illustrious career, Dolly Parton earns a well-deserved spot in the record books. Featured in the pages of the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS 2018 Edition, the singer-songwriter was recently recognized for holding records for the Most Decades with a Top 20 hit on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart and Most Hits on Billboard's Hot Country Songs Chart by a Female Artist.
To make it official, Guinness World Records visited Dolly in Nashville recently to present her with record title certificates and sit down for an exclusive interview. Watch the presentation and Q&A in this video.
“To receive these two Guinness World Records is so great!” Dolly said. “Joining so many wonderful singers and songwriters who have been honored this way feels so special to me. You never know when you start out with your work how it’s going to turn out, but to have these two world records makes me feel very humbled and blessed!”
Surpassing fellow country music icons, George Jones, Elvis Presley and Reba McEntire, Dolly is the only artist with Top 20 hits across six consecutive decades (1960s–2010s), earning her the title of Most Decades with a Top 20 Hit on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart. Beginning with her first Top 20 entry, "Something Fishy" in 1967, she’s a credited artist on a further 73 Top 20 hits, including her most recent, a new version of her beloved 1974 title "Jolene," featuring acapella quintet Pentatonix, which debuted at No.18 on the chart dated October 8, 2016.
The 2016 remastered version of “Jolene” was also Dolly’s 107th chart entry, solidifying her second record title for the Most Hits on Billboard's Hot Country Songs Chart by a Female Artist. Dolly’s first hit on this record-breaking list was her 1967 debut, “Dumb Blonde.” Of the 107 hits, 21 were achieved with former partner Porter Wagoner (1927–2007). Find Dolly in the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS 2018 Edition, available in stores and online now.
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Pictured here (left to right) are Dolly Parton and Michael Furnari, Guinness World Records adjudicator. Furnari recently presented Dolly with two Guinness World Records. Photo credit: John Shearer
Shortly after her song 'Dumb Blonde' was released, Dolly performed the song on "The Cas Walker Farm and Home Hour" alongside her Uncle Bill Owens. Years earlier, Dolly was a regular guest on the popular show after being hired by Cas Walker at the age of 10.
In this rare video, shown in color, Dolly and Uncle Bill perform onstage together during "The Case Walker Farm and Home Hour."
'Dumb Blonde' was one of two singles released from Dolly’s first full-length solo album, “Hello, I'm Dolly.” It climbed to No. 24 on the U.S. country singles charts. Curly Putman wrote the song and Fred Foster at Monument Records knew it was right for Dolly. In the liner notes of the album, Foster wrote about what he saw in the young artist. He opened with,
“Sometimes you just know… sometimes. And that makes up for all the times you had to guess.”
"The Cas Walker Farm and Home Hour" was a radio show based in Knoxville, Tenn. that transitioned to television in 1953. It was recorded before a live audience. Between performances, it featured live commercials for Walker’s grocery stores.
During the mid-1950s, the Everly Brothers were regular guests on the show. Other notable guests included Roy Acuff, Chet Atkins, Carl Butler, Jimmy Martin, Bill Monroe, Jim Nabors and Carl Smith.
