Featured Artist
Avie Lee Parton
Born 1923
Avie Lee Parton never sought the spotlight, even though she possessed a striking and expressive singing voice, filled with traditional Appalachian phrasing. Her love for traditional mountain ballads and songs was a gift she shared with her children and grandchildren — creating a musical legacy that has continued to this day.
Biography
Born in 1923, Avie Lee was the third child of Rev. Jake and Rena Owens. Raised on music passed down by her father and grandmother, Mary Malinda Owens, Avie Lee became known for her beautiful voice and deep connection to traditional Appalachian ballads. As a teen, she performed with her sisters Estelle and Dorothy Jo in a family gospel trio led by their father.
In 1939, she met and married Robert Lee Parton, beginning a new chapter as a devoted wife and mother of 12. Though her focus shifted to raising a family, music remained central to her life. She nurtured the talents of her children—most famously Dolly Parton—while staying active in church and local performances.
In the 1960s, Avie Lee formed a gospel quartet with daughters Willadeene, Stella, and Cassie, eventually recording The Parton Family Sings In the Garden in 1968—a milestone that launched Stella’s solo career. While she preferred the background, Avie Lee stepped into the spotlight in the 1980s, touring with sister Dorothy Jo on the Southern Grassroots Music Tour. Their performances of traditional mountain songs introduced her voice and heritage to a new generation of fans, securing her place as the heart and soul of the Parton musical legacy.
“Mama had this haunting voice, and Lord you would feel it. … That’s how I try to sing, too. I want you to feel it when I’m telling you the story. Mama singing all those old-timey songs was just embedded in my soul, my psyche. I call it my “Smoky Mountain DNA.” — Dolly Parton
The Heart Behind the Legacy
Mother, singer, musician, and seamstress of the a most famous “Coat of Many Colors,’’ Avie Lee Parton left a legacy of music and love her children and their children have shared with the world.
