Dolly Parton's Rarely Talked-About Niece Danielle Parton Is Both Beauty & Brains

For her millions of fans, Dolly Parton's legacy will live on through her beautiful songs, her fantastic movies, and her generous and loving spirit. For her family, there is a deeper connection, one that includes all those amazing traits, but also the star's more personal side that she only shared with her nearest and dearest. With 11 brothers and sisters, Parton's family was quite large. While some followed in her footsteps, most of Parton's loved ones chose a life out of the spotlight. Danielle Parton, the daughter of Dolly's brother, Bobby, is one member of the family who didn't want to live in the public eye, but there is no doubt that she is as beautiful, smart, and confident as her famous aunt was.

Danielle Parton/Facebook

Seeing the two side-by-side — Danielle is on the left — it is impossible not to notice the resemblance. Both blondes had the same wide smile that exudes joy, the same slightly mischievous gleam in their eyes, and a fashion style that pops. And, if that wasn't enough, the two may even have shared their makeup; it sure looks like the famous aunt and her niece had the same color lipstick on in the photo. Danielle, however, sported a more subdued eye makeup look, opting for a light pink eyeshadow rather than her aunt's bright blue.

Like her aunt, Danielle is also breaking barriers, becoming the first woman in the family to earn a college degree. She also runs her own business, Shine Girl, that sells moonshine made using old Parton family recipes. And, proving that she is as courageous as her "Jolene" singing aunt, Danielle has also served in the military, flying C-130s and C-5s in combat situations.

Danielle Parton's interest in flying was inadvertently sparked by her aunt, Dolly Parton, when the icon decided to take the whole family on a vacation. Danielle told the story to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, explaining how Dolly's giving nature helped her find something she loved — and something Dolly would never do again: "Dolly had the bright idea to fly us all to Hawaii. We acted so bad, she never did it again. Can you imagine taking 17 rednecks to Hawaii?"

But for Danielle, the beautiful beaches were nothing compared to the mode of transportation that got the family to Hawaii, explaining, "I'd never been out of Tennessee. I'd never saw an airplane that I didn't wonder where it was going and want to be on it." Danielle turned that wonder into a career, becoming a flight attendant before joining the military and training to be a pilot. Now flying commercial planes, Danielle shocks passengers when she comes over the PA system, "Some people get confused because they hear me on the PA, and they feel like Dolly's flying them because we're the only ones that have this dialect."

Along with looks, brains, and courage, Danielle also shared a birthday month with Dolly, and their last conversation happened over some cake. Telling Today about it, Danielle said the two discussed the many celebrities her aunt had met over the years when Danielle asked Dolly, "Do you ever think of yourself as famous? How do you see yourself?" Danielle went on, explaining how Dolly, even after a lifetime of achievements, was still rooted in herself. "She goes, 'Oh, no.' She goes, 'I'm still the same kid I was growing up poor.' And she really did."