Known as the “Iron Butterfly” for her tough, no-nonsense business skills. Started her own music publishing company in the late ’60s when women were not doing those things so that she reserves the rights to her entire catalogue of music and movies. (She made more money off of Whitney Houston’s version of “I Will Always Love You” than Whitney did).

She has stayed true to her roots and has almost single handedly turned eastern Tennessee into a recreation/resort area by opening the Dollywood theme and water parks. She has also founded a “give a book” program in eastern Tennessee where by each child in the region receives one book per-month from birth until school age.

Finally, she’d never subject herself to the boardroom rantings of a four or five time bankrupted real estate developer.