As one of the most beloved country music artists of the last century, Dolly Parton has risen from relative poverty, only to succeed as an incredibly prolific business and entertainment mogul. There are still some things people don’t know about Dolly, but it’s her humble beginnings that is the most surprising, as she has reportedly described her family as “dirt poor.”
The singer was initially born in a hard-working Southern family in Sevierville, Tennessee. Dolly is one of 12 children, and coming from a low-income family, they all lived in a tiny one-room cabin. When Dolly graduated from Sevier County High School in 1964, she didn’t waste a single day and drove off to Nashville, Tennessee, the following night.
Jessica Alba - California
Albe was born in Pomona, California, in 1981 while her father was in the Air Force. When she was still just a baby, the family moved to Biloxi, Mississippi, but nine years later, they eventually moved back to California. It was in California that she was exposed to acting and began embarking on her career as an actress.
Growing up in Mississippi and then California sure makes for an unusual upbringing. In Mississippi, she probably spent the long summer days outside, doing things like picking berries and climbing trees while in California, Jessica was exposed to a lot more opportunities than Mississippi could offer.
John Cusack - Illinois
Born in 1966 in Evanston, Illinois, to an Irish Catholic family, John Cusack spent a year at New York University before dropping out, stating that he had "too much fire in his belly." He did indeed move onto bigger and better things after making his film debut in 1983's 'Class,' and had a brief but memorable appearance as one of the nerds in 'Sixteen Candles.'
This adorable actor from Illinois became something of a lust object for girls everywhere, but what really put him on the map was his breakout role in 'The Sure Thing' and 'Say Anything.' The rest of the 1980s, he spent carving out a niche for himself as both a solid performer and the lovable protagonist.
Julianne Hough - Utah
The famous dancer, actress, singer, and celebrity judge we've all come to love is Julianne Hough, of course! She was first introduced to the big screen when she starred as the lead role in the 2011 film 'Footloose.' Born in Orem, Utah, Julianne moved around a bit and even lived in London for a few years only to return to the U.S., where she became famous thanks to her stellar performances on 'Dancing with the Stars.'
At 15, Julianne became the youngest dancer, and only American, to win both Junior World Latin Champion and International Latin Youth Champion at the Blackpool Dance Festival. 'America's Got Talent' judge Julianne Hough was born in Orem, Utah, the youngest of five children in a Latter-Day Saint family.
Ashley Graham - Nebraska
Ashley Graham may be very successful now, but she had a difficult time growing up and had to work very hard to reach the success she has today. She was born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska. It was while she was growing up that Ashley was diagnosed with ADD and dyslexia, but this didn't stop Ashley from becoming such a successful and well-known model.
In 2000, when Ashley was just 13 years old, she was discovered by the I & I agency while shopping at Oak View Mall in Omaha, Nebraska. During the Corona quarantine, Ashley returned to her roots, surrounded by the golden grasslands of her childhood home in Nebraska.