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Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
Entertainment
Tracy Brown

Dolly Parton at the Grammys: Maybe she doesn't have a full arm of tattoos?

Dolly Parton's mythical tattoos have been a buzzed-about topic among her fans for years. Some have suggested that the country superstar's arms might even be covered in ink.

So when Parton hit the stage at the 61st Grammy Awards to perform a medley of some of her hits in a white outfit that appeared to be sheer around her shoulders and down her arms, some viewers did a double take.

For years, Parton's fans have theorized that her penchant for clothing that fully covers her shoulders and arms has been hiding a full sleeve of tattoos.

However, a closer look at photos of the performance _ which also featured Katy Perry, Kacey Musgraves, Miley Cyrus, Maren Morris and Little Big Town _ shows that what appeared to be flesh at first glance is more likely to be nude fabric.

Everybody from Larry King to Vanity Fair has asked Parton about her tattoos over the years, and she has repeatedly explained that they are not meant to be bold statements.

"I have some tattoos that I started doing just to cover up scarring that I have," Parton previously told King. "I have scarring that sometimes won't ever lose the purple, so I started having little pastel little things to disguise things and I've splattered them here and there."

For now, the mystery around Parton's tattoos remain.

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