Career
He is a distant cousin of adult-film actress Julia Parton. He is also known for the theater that once bore his name in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. In 2007 he signed a deal worth over $1.5 million yearly to manage and perform in a new theater bearing his name in the Carolina Crossroads entertainment and shopping complex.
The relationship between Parton and the city soured as the theater struggled to attract customers and questions arose concerning Parton"s use of a nearly $3 million fund for personal travel and entertainment.
Throughout the controversy, Parton maintained that his actions were within the contract and that the theater would be successful given time. Parton"s contract with the city was terminated on January 8, 2008 and the theater was renamed the Roanoke Rapids Theater.
The city took over the theater and in July 2012 voted to allow electronic gambling to help pay expenses and possibly attract a buyer.