Why Dolly Parton never had kids despite long marriage

Country music legend Dolly Parton, who died aged 80, never had children and once said she did not regret the decision, attributing it partly to her career and constant travel.

According to Tribune Online, Parton said motherhood was never a “burning” desire for her, while health challenges also affected her ability to have children.

“I didn’t have children because I believed that God didn’t mean for me to have kids so everybody’s kids could be mine,” she said.

Parton instead devoted much of her life to philanthropy, including her Imagination Library programme, which provides free books to children.