What We Know About Dolly Parton's Relationship With Her Sister Freida

Dolly Parton might have a lavish life now, but the country legend grew up in a humble one-bedroom cabin in Appalachia as one of 12 kids. There is a complicated truth about Dolly's 11 siblings. But the relationship between Dolly and her younger sister, Freida Parton, seems relatively simple — and fueled by a loving connection.

Freida and twin brother Floyd Estel Parton are the youngest children of Robert Lee and Avie Lee Parton. Although she and Dolly are 11 years apart, the sisters seem very close, as Dolly is with all of her siblings. In an interview from Time Life's "Dolly: The Ultimate Collection," the "9 to 5" hitmaker underscored her family's bond. "When I got my own TV show I thought, 'I'm most definitely going to have my family on before I bring all these big celebrities because they're the stars to me,'" she said (via People). Indeed, Dolly's career was supported by her brothers and sisters, including Freida, whose musical prowess was often showcased in performances with her sister. For instance, she accompanied Dolly and sister Stella Parton on 1987's "Live on Dolly!" where they sang "On Top of Old Smoky."

Reciprocally, Dolly championed her sister's music career, giving Freida a slot to perform at Dollywood and even collaborating with her and the rest of the family on the 2024 album "Smoky Mountain DNA: Family, Faith, and Fables." Frieda's contribution to the music industry eventually fizzled out, with the Tennessee native becoming an ordained minister and the owner of an antique store and wedding chapel in 2014.

Freida Parton lives her life out of the spotlight, for the most part. However, in October 2025, the former musician made headlines when she posted a worrying message on social media, which had Dolly Parton fans in a tizzy. "Last night, I was up all night praying for my sister, Dolly," Freida began her post on Facebook. Her prayers were purportedly motivated by her sister's health issues, which the "Jolene" singer herself alluded to in a witty letter to her fans posted on Instagram the month prior. Freida's message, however, had a more serious tone. She added, "I truly believe in the power of prayer, and I have been lead to ask all of the world that loves her to be prayer warriors and pray with me."

Fortunately, Dolly quickly extinguished the rumors about her health with a video message on Instagram, captioned: "I ain't dead yet!" Dolly thanked her fans for their concern. "I appreciate your prayers," she said, adding, "But I want you to know that I'm okay." Olly Rowland, Dolly's spokesperson, confirmed to the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the country music star was dealing with a bout of kidney stones and would be fine. Freida also shared a follow-up to her initial post, telling her sister's listeners that she was a little overzealous in her request for prayers. "I didn't mean to scare anyone or make it sound so serious when asking for prayers for Dolly," she said. "It was nothing more than a little sister asking for prayers for her big sister.