This girl was the 4th of 12 children in a poor family living in the mountains without electricity. Today, she’s a famous singer.

Her story began in the Great Smoky Mountains, where a family of 14 lived without modern comforts. With no electricity or running water, life was tough, but they relied on each other and their faith. The parents, married as teenagers, raised twelve kids in a small, two-room log cabin.

By the time they were in their thirties, the couple had six boys and six girls, creating a lively, noisy household. Despite the challenges, the children learned to be resourceful and creative. As the fourth child, she grew up in a crowded home where newspapers lined the walls for warmth and homemade clothes were the norm. The kids had no store-bought toys, so they made their own games and played outside, making the most of what they had.

“I’ve always joked that I’ve been raking in the dough ever since,” she said, recalling how her dad paid the doctor with a sack of cornmeal when she was born.