In the wake of country music icon Dolly Parton’s passing this week, many members of her family have been honoring the beloved star and sharing memories of the woman who touched millions of lives around the world.
Among them is her niece, Danielle Parton, who has led a remarkable life of service, independence, and achievement. Throughout her journey, Dolly was much more than a famous aunt to Danielle — she was also her friend, confidant, and mentor.
Meet Dolly Parton’s Niece, Danielle Parton
Now 50 years old, Danielle Parton is a combat veteran, businesswoman, pilot, and proud member of the Parton family.
Her father is Bobby Parton, the fifth of the 12 Parton siblings, a family that includes the legendary Dolly Parton.
According to the website for Shine Girl, the distillery Danielle founded in Sevierville, Tennessee, in 2020, she was the first woman in the Parton family to graduate from college. She attended Belmont University in Nashville and earned a degree in Business Administration in 1998.
Danielle, however, had always been fascinated by flying. She went on to work as a flight attendant for both American Airlines and Southwest Airlines before eventually pursuing a career in military aviation.
She enlisted in the Air National Guard and served as a pilot with the 118th Wing in Nashville, the 123rd Airlift Wing in Louisville, Kentucky, and the 164th Airlift Wing in Memphis, Tennessee.
In a 2023 interview with Garden & Gun, Danielle reflected on her personality and career path, saying, “I’m just not fit for repetitive office work. I have a gypsy soul.”
In 2012, Danielle became an Aircraft Commander and deployed multiple times, including to Kuwait. During her military career, she earned the Combat Action Medal and the Air Medal.
She was also named to the Commodore’s List of Flying Excellence during Undergraduate Pilot Training. According to Shine Girl, she was a Distinguished Graduate of C-5 Initial Qualification, a program that qualifies military pilots to operate the massive C-5 Galaxy aircraft.
During her interview with Garden & Gun, Danielle described the C-130 as “the love of my life.”
In 2025, Danielle retired from her position as Chief of Public Affairs for the 118th Wing. Her aunt Dolly was there to attend her retirement ceremony, making the occasion even more meaningful for Danielle and her family.
Outside of her military career, Danielle has also built her own business. In 2020, she founded Shine Girl, a distillery in Sevierville, Tennessee, continuing her family’s connection to the Smoky Mountains while creating a path of her own.
Danielle Parton Pays Tribute to Her Late Aunt
Following Dolly’s death, Danielle shared an emotional message with fans and family members who had reached out to offer their condolences.
In a video posted to Shine Girl’s Facebook page on August 26, Danielle thanked those who had contacted her and reflected on the tremendous loss.
“Thank you to the thousands of you that have reached out to me and offered your condolences,” Danielle said. “I’m with you. The world will never be the same without Dolly Parton in it.”
Danielle explained that she was incredibly fortunate to have shared five decades of her life with Dolly, noting that the two were 30 years apart in age.
She described Dolly not only as her aunt, but also as “my friend, my aunt, my confidant, my mentor.”
Danielle said she would especially miss their early-morning conversations and explained that Dolly had always known her and the other children in the family on a deeply personal level.
She also recalled one piece of advice from Dolly that stayed with her throughout her life.
“Danielle, if you have the chance to grab one minute of happiness in this world,” Dolly once told her, “you take it. This world’s hard enough. This life’s hard enough. You be happy when you can be happy.”
Danielle went on to remember a time when she was offered a business deal that could have earned her millions of dollars. Although people around her encouraged her to accept the opportunity, Danielle said something about the deal did not feel right.
According to Danielle, Dolly was the one person who completely understood when she decided to turn it down.
“She was the only one who didn’t have heartburn about me saying ‘no’ to it,” Danielle recalled, adding that “so many people had their panties in a twist except for her.”
Dolly’s response was simple: “You know what’s right for you.”
That advice, Danielle said, reflected the kind of person Dolly was — someone who encouraged the people she loved to trust themselves and follow their own path.
Looking at her aunt’s death and the grief surrounding it, Danielle said she believed Dolly would not want her loved ones to remain consumed by sadness.
“She would not want us wallowing around in grief on it,” Danielle said. “She would tell me to get my ‘rear in gear, and get on with it.’”
It was a fitting message from someone who knew Dolly not only as a global superstar, but as a beloved aunt who played an important role in her life.
Danielle ended her emotional tribute with a message inspired by the values Dolly passed down to her:
“Go out there and be good to one another.”
For Danielle, Dolly Parton’s legacy is not simply about the music, fame, or countless accomplishments. It is also about the lessons she shared with the people closest to her — and the encouragement to find happiness, trust yourself, and always be kind to others.