Dolly Parton’s Modest Former Nashville Home Sells for $850,000 After Years on the Market
Dolly Parton may be one of the most iconic country music stars in history, but her former Nashville home proves that even global superstars can live modestly. The two-story stucco residence, located on a quiet street in suburban Nashville, has finally sold for $849,000 in December 2021, according to the New York Post.
Parton and her husband, Carl Dean, purchased the property in 1980 and lived there for 16 years before selling it in 1996 for just $140,000. Far from the opulent mansions often associated with music royalty, the 4,795-square-foot house is charming and unpretentious — yet still holds a special place in country music history.
Built in 1941, the home sits on 2.4 wooded, gated acres and offers four bedrooms, two bathrooms, an eat-in kitchen, and a master suite with a walk-in closet. The property also boasts a great room large enough for entertaining, dual heating and cooling units, a covered porch, a patio, and a deck. Outside, a detached storage building and a separate studio space provide extra versatility.
In later years, the home’s second floor operated as a quaint bed-and-breakfast known as Dolly’s Retreat, while the detached studio — complete with its own AC and bathroom — was used as the base for an online business. Marketing materials from 2019 even suggested its potential as a venue for weddings, family reunions, or a Dolly-themed museum.
Despite its historical significance and country charm, the home spent more than a decade on and off the market before finding its latest buyer. Property records list an LLC as the current owner, though it remains unclear whether they plan to incorporate any Dolly Parton connection into the future of the residence.
For fans, the property stands as a tangible reminder of a more grounded chapter in Parton’s life — a period when the woman who would go on to build Dollywood and earn countless awards was still making her mark on Nashville, one heartfelt song at a time.