Think of legendary Welsh singers with decade-spanning careers and a curly-haired gent by the name of Sir Tom Jones will likely spring to mind. But now Sir Tom could face competition for the title of most famous Welsh warbler, after megastar Dolly Parton has revealed she has Welsh ancestry.
Dolly, who was born in the US state of Tennessee, has been delving into her heritage as part of a documentary, which, according to her niece, has found the country superstar’s lineage can be traced back to Conwy in North Wales.
Though details are scarce about the exact findings detailed in the documentary, which is due to air later this year, it is thought the connections to Wales come from Parton’s mother, Avie Lee Owens.
Dolly herself is remaining tight-lipped about the findings, saying she cannot reveal all the juicy details yet, but told the BBC she was “tickled pink” about the interest surrounding her Welsh heritage. Her niece, who initially revealed the documentary’s discoveries, appears equally enthused, telling the BBC she has even started learning the Welsh language since finding out the news about her family’s ancestry.
Though this is the first time Dolly’s Welsh roots have been properly investigated, the country singer, who is famous for penning modern classics like Jolene and 9 to 5 (as well as her larger-than-life personality), has long maintained she has a connection to Cymru.
In a 2008 interview with website Wales Online, the musical icon said, 'Some of my mother's people, the Owens, are from there [Wales]. I've been there about three times and it always feels good because it feels like family.’
In the same interview, the singer revealed she even keeps a Welsh rock, gifted to her by her cousin, on her mantlepiece at home.
It seems we’ll have to wait for official confirmation of Dolly’s Welsh genealogy when the documentary hits screens later this year, but we are more than happy to claim the icon as one of our own, adding her to the impressive list of famous Welsh singers, actors and sports stars.
Think you might also have some Welshness in you? Check out our guide to tracing your family heritage in Wales.