Run down the list of the richest singers on the planet, and one thing quickly becomes obvious.
Country music has a big audience.
The list of the wealthiest performers in the world is littered with country stars, but one rises clearly above the rest.
That star? Dolly Parton, folks.
That’s right, the icon has an estimated fortune of $650 million, according to reports. To put that in perspective, Garth Brooks ($400 million) and Shania Twain ($350-$410 million) are in the running for the second spot behind Parton on the country music list.
Nobody is topping Taylor Swift, who has an estimated $1.6 billion, but she’s not really country anymore so … Parton is the true country singer with the deepest pockets, according to all estimates.
It will also be interesting to see where Zach Bryan, who reportedly recently cut a pair of deals worth $350 million, stands when the dust settles there.
Anyway, Parade highlighted Parton’s fortune earlier this year, noting that it’s not just her legendary hits like “Jolene,” that have paid off for her. She has had a successful acting career and she has multiple successful books and product lines on the business side that have allowed her to amass her wealth.
And a key note in that Parade story was this: while Parton is not a billionaire, the site said “it has been speculated that the singer could have achieved billionaire status if she were not so generous with her money, constantly investing in many philanthropic endeavors.”