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Parton to sell ceremony photos to benefit children's charities
Dolly Parton and Carl Dean, who recently celebrated a sweet milestone of 50 years of marriage, will be releasing photos from their renewal ceremony to the highest bidder to benefit children's charities. The couple tied the knot on May 30, 1966, and, for their golden wedding anniversary, they renewed their vows during a private ceremony in Nashville.
"If I had it to do all over, I'd do it all over again, and we did," Parton said. "I'm dragging him kicking and screaming into the next 50 years. Wish us luck.
"In all honesty, the only way I was able to get Carl to do any of this in the first place was that it was a great opportunity for us to raise money for some very worthy causes."
Dean, a man who has stayed out of the spotlight for many years, will soon be seen by all. In addition to being photographed, Carl has agreed to do his first interview, where fans have submitted questions and Parton has asked the questions. This exclusive interview will soon be released to coincide with the photos.
"My first thought was, 'I'm gonna marry that girl,' " Dean said, reacting to the first time seeing Parton at the Wishy Washy Laundromat. "My second thought was, 'Lord, she's good lookin.' ' And that was the day my life began. I wouldn't trade the last 50 years for nothing on this earth."
An internationally renowned superstar, the iconic and irrepressible Parton has contributed countless treasures to the world of entertainment. All-inclusive sales of singles, albums, hits collections, paid digital downloads and compilation usage during her illustrious career have topped a staggering 100 million records worldwide. Achieving 25 RIAA-certified gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards, Parton has had 25 songs reach No. 1 on the Billboard country charts - a record for a female artist. She has garnered seven Grammy Awards, 10 Country Music Association Awards, five Academy of Country Music Awards, three American Music Awards and is one of only five female artists to win the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year Award.
Making her film debut in the 1980 hit comedy "9 to 5," Parton earned rave reviews for her performance and an Oscar nomination for writing the title tune, along with her second and third Grammys. Roles in "Steel Magnolias," "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," "Rhinestone" and "Straight Talk" followed.
Parton saw a cherished dream become a reality in 1986 with the opening of her own theme park, Dollywood, in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. In 1988, she began the Dollywood Foundation, which funds Dolly Parton's Imagination Library across America and in Canada by giving every preschool child a book each month from the time he or she is born until the child reaches kindergarten. Currently 60,000,000 books are mailed to children in the U.S., Canada and throughout the U.K.
In 1999, Parton was inducted as a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. She has her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and, in 2004, the U.S. Library of Congress presented her with their Living Legend Award for her contribution to the cultural heritage of the U.S.
In December, more than 13 million tuned into "Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors," which was the most-watched film on broadcast networks.
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