Dolly Parton Was 'Flattered' to Learn the Late Dolly the Sheep Was Named in Reference to Her Breasts

Mar. 15, 2025

Dolly Parton in January 2024; Dolly the Sheep in 2000.Photo:Jon Morgan/CBS/Getty;Getty

Jon Morgan/CBS/Getty;Getty

In 1997, scientists successfully cloned a sheep andnamed the animal Dollyafter country legendDolly Parton— for a very specific reason.

The “Jolene” singer, 78, spoke toThe Guardianfor a new interview on Oct. 31 about her thoughts on sharing a namesake with Dolly the Sheep — whose moniker is a reference to Parton’s breasts — and whether she’d like to leave a duplicate version of herself behind when she’s gone.

“I was flattered,” she told the outlet of learning Dolly was named after her, before explaining: “You know, when the scientists cloned Dolly the sheep, they used the mammary glands. That’s what they call them … glands … the boobs.”

Dolly the Sheep.Najlah Feanny/Corbis/Getty

Najlah Feanny/Corbis/Getty

Parton added, “They said: ‘Oh, we have this sheep, Dolly …’ Everybody always played up to these [points to her chest], so that’s why we had Dolly the sheep.”

The sheep lived for six years and birthed six lambs before developing health issues and ultimately dying Feb. 14, 2003, according toHistory. Her taxidermied body remains on display at theNational Museum of Scotland.

“I was sorry when she died,” Parton toldThe Guardian, “though I don’t want be cloned myself.”

Dolly Parton in Nashville in January 2024.Jon Morgan/CBS via Getty

Jon Morgan/CBS via Getty

The Grammy winner continued, “I want to get on out of here when I can. We already get a lot of Dolly lookalikes, a lot of Dolly drag queens. I can just send them down to the store instead of me.”

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Elsewhere in the interview, Parton spoke about the future of her career and why she “can’t retire.”

Dolly Parton in November 2023.Jason Kempin/Getty

Jason Kempin/Getty

“I always say I’ve dreamed myself into a corner. I’ve got to keep all those dreams alive. Every dream spins off into some something else,” said the “Here You Come Again” performer.

source: people.com