A Rumor About Dolly Parton’s Pregnancy Infuriated Her Mother
Dolly Parton has never had children, but she helped her mother raise her younger siblings. Parton was one of 12, and her mother needed as much help as she could get from her children. This led to some rumors about Parton’s relationship with her siblings, though. Some people began to wonder if Parton’s younger sister was actually her daughter. This did not go over well with her mother.
Dolly Parton’s mother did not like hearing one rumor about her daughter
Parton has dealt with countless rumors about herself since she rose to fame. They were also pervasive before she became a household name. When she was still in high school, people began to wonder if Parton’s younger sister was actually her secret child.
“There was a real good-looking guy named Curly Dan Bailey who worked with me on the Cas Walker Show,” Parton wrote in her book Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business. “Even though I was only fourteen at the time, the rumor spread that I had gotten pregnant by Curly Dan and that Rachel was actually my illegitimate child by him. Rachel does have a curly mop of hair, but then, so does our daddy.”
Parton said this type of rumor didn’t bother her all that much. It infuriated her mother, though. She had a difficult time giving birth to Rachel.
“I think the lie made Mama madder than anybody,” Parton wrote. “Rachel had to be taken by cesarean and was the last child she would be able to have.”
Parton said that her mother’s irritation wasn’t enough to dispel the rumor. She continued to hear it throughout her life and even joked about it by calling her sister “Curly Dan” when her hair frizzed.
