Dolly Parton's Natural Hair Was Gorgeous But Her Reason For Wearing Wigs Is So Relatable

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Dolly Parton was unmistakably a legend in the world of country music because of her swoon-worthy love songs and larger-than-life personality. She was easily recognizable with sparkly, colorful outfits and high blond hair — if you need an example, look no further than Dolly Parton's 2023 ACM Awards look that ditched spring's naked jewelry trend entirely. In her 2020 memoir, "Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics," the singer — who passed away August 25, 2026 — revealed stories from the earliest moments in her career before she became a household name, and interestingly, she also gave her fans a special look into something that has rarely been seen: her natural hair.

A throwback from Parton's early days in the recording studio revealed that her natural locks had a sweet wave. Her tresses looked luscious and full — not as loud as the styles she was usually seen with, but equally as beautiful. Parton revealed in a 2020 video interview with Allure that when attending high school in the 1960s, she tried to make her hair as voluminous as possible. This was before she had a team of professionals to help her get ready, so she would bleach and tease her hair into a tall bouffant. "When I would do all that bleaching and do all that teasing, my hair was just not in good condition," she recalled. This led to her wearing hair pieces called falls, also known as wiglets. But soon after, Parton's life changed when she discovered the practicality of wigs. They quickly became a hair must-have for the late "Jolene" singer, and she depended heavily on them throughout her entire career.

When always impressing audiences with top-notch performances, who has the time to sit and wait for a hair team to transform your locks? A-list stars including Nicole Kidman wear wigs to suit their faces, but it may be queen of country music, Dolly Parton, who embraced them the most. After all, Parton was constantly on the go but refused to sacrifice beauty. She relied on wigs because they can be styled while she was away completing necessary tasks. Before a performance, Parton just needed to place the wig on her head, and she was ready to go! 

In 2014, Parton appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and explained, "I do wear wigs all the time because it's so handy and I'm always so busy. And so, I really enjoy wearing the wigs." This time-saving practice also helped ensure that the late star's stunning natural hair didn't become damaged from excessive styling.

Parton spent decades perfecting her use of wigs, so it was easy to never expect head-turning wig moments like other celebs. When speaking with Allure in 2020, she remembered the excitement she felt as a young woman discovering wigs that could be fully styled. "I thought I'd been set free," Parton explained. "I thought, 'I could have a hair do of any kind anytime I wanted.'" She added how versatile the hair accessory was, proudly stating that she had many so that she was prepared for every occasion. "They've served me well through the years."