A rustic Idyllwild retreat that country legend Dolly Parton gifted to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California last year recently sold for $585,000.
That’s 17% higher than the $499,000 it listed for in June.
Nestled in pine trees on a quarter-acre lot, this 1,800-square-foot, three-story cabin has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a loft. Public records show Parton and her husband, Carl Thomas Dean, bought the property through a trust for $235,000 in June 2000.
They briefly listed it in May 2014 for $599,000 and then removed it that October.
TasteofCountry.com, which first reported the sale, described the property “as charming and down-home as she is.”
Wood-paneled walls and floors add character to the home’s interior, which includes a living room with a soaring cathedral ceiling and a raised hearth fireplace. The living room flows into the dining area and kitchen.
A large deck overlooks a meandering path to Marion Creek and beyond, and a swing hangs from an “ancient” cedar tree in the back.
Records show that in November 2023, Parton and Dean transferred ownership of the mountain retreat to the Ronald McDonald House through a gift deed.
Listing agent Mauricio Nunez of Deodate Corp. declined to confirm or disclose any information about the seller or specific number of buyers interested in the property, saying only by phone that it received multiple offers.
Tiffany Raridon of Elevated Properties represented the buyer.
Parton, 78, had her first hit single in 1967 with “Dumb Blonde.” Since then, the honey-voiced singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has sold more than 100 million records worldwide. Her enduring country and crossover hits include “Joshua” (1970), “9 to 5” (1980) and “I Will Always Love You,” famously covered by Whitney Houston in 1992.
In 2016, Parton told Andy Cohen in a SiriusXM Town Hall that she nearly wrecked her car when she heard Houston’s version come on the radio.
“I had to pull over and listen to it,” she said. “It was the most overwhelming feeling that that little song of mine could be done so beautifully, so big, so overwhelming that I almost had a heart attack right there on the spot.”
Parton’s 1973 hit “Jolene” has inspired covers by her goddaughter Miley Cyrus, the White Stripes, Lil Nas X, and Beyoncé, who more recently reinvented it for her “Cowboy Carter” album.
More than a musical talent, Parton is an actress, businesswoman and philanthropist. Her charitable work includes promoting children’s health and literacy, as well as aiding communities impacted by natural disasters.
During her acceptance speech for the 2022 Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy, Parton said, “I just give from my heart … I just see a need and if I can fill it, then I will.”
