Photo by Curtis Hilbun
Variety may be the best way to describe Dolly’s show because there was something for everyone. She played a variety of instruments as well — Guitar, banjo, dulcimer, but how she does it with those nails is still a mystery.
Parton’s ability to engage the audience made the show very personal and she reminisced about various highlights from her incredible life through out the show.
The country music hall of famer saved most of her big hits for the second half of the show singing personal favorites like “My Tennessee Mountain Home” and “Smoky Mountain Memories” in the first half. She also covered many songs along with the help of band leader, Kent Wells, like the Beatles’ “Help!” Collective Soul’s “Shine”, Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” and Katrina & the Waves’ “Walking on Sunshine.
Parton took a few minutes to promote Joyful Noise, her upcoming film with Queen Latifah. Kris Kristofferson plays Parton’s husband, a choir director who dies early in the film. As a result, Parton’s character wants to take over the competitive church choir, yet a long-standing member (played by Queen Latifah) is striving for the same thing.
In classic Parton fashion she also kept the home-town crowd laughing with funny one-liners all night like when she noted “People always say, ‘Dolly, you look so happy,’ and I say, ‘Oh, that’s just Botox.’”
Whether you’re seven or seventy, Dolly has something for everyone and she proved once again in Knoxville why she’s one of the greatest entertainers country music has ever seen.
Contact: jerry@nashville.com
I attended the show and it was indeed a memory maker! I came up from Fort Walton Beach FLORIDA, a 10 hour drive, to attend the concert. We were on the 6th row, center floor and it was spectacular. Dolly is so awesome she had the entire audience in the palm of her hand for nearly three hours! She has so much energy that I hope her light will never go out!