Category Archives: Dolly Parton

It’s difficult to find a country performer who has moved from country beginnings to international fame more successfully than Dolly Parton. Her autobiographical single “Coat of Many Colors” shows the poverty of growing up one of 12 children on a run-down farm in Locust Ridge, TN. At 12 years old she was appearing on Knoxville tv; at 13 she was recording on a small label and appearing on the Grand Ole Opry. Her 1967 hit “Dumb Blonde” (which she’s not) caught Porter Wagoner’s ear, and he hired Parton to appear on his television show, where their duet numbers became famous. By the time her “Joshua” reached number one in 1970, Parton’s fame had overshadowed the boss’, and she had struck out on her own, though still recording duets with him. while the mid-’70s, she established herself as a country superstar, crossing over into the pop mainstream in the early ’80s, when she smoothed out the rough edges in her songs and began singing pop as well as country. In the early ’80s, she also started appearing in movies, most notably the hit 9 to 5. Though her savvy marketing, image manipulation — her big, dumb blond stage persona is an act — extracurricular forays into film, and her flirtations with country-pop have occasionally overshadowed her music, at her core Parton is a country gal and a tremendously gifted singer/songwriter. Among her classics are “Coat of Many Colors,” “Jolene,” “Kentucky Gambler,” “I Will Always Love You,” “But You Known I Love You,” and “Tennessee Homesick Blues,” and they give a hint to why her contribution to bringing country songs to a wide audience, not only in America but throughout the world, cannot be underestimated.

The fourth of 12 children, Parton was born and raised in Locust Ridge, TN, just next to the Smoky Mountains nationwide Forest. Parton’s family struggled to survive throughout her childhood, and frequently she was ridiculed for her poverty, yet frequently music soothed their worries. Though her farming father did not play, her half-Cherokee mother played guitar and her grandfather Reverend Jake Owens was a fiddler and songwriter (his “Singing His Praise” was recorded by Kitty Wells). When she was seven, her uncle Bill Owens gave her a guitar, and within three years she became a regular on WIVK Knoxville’s The Cas Walker Farm and Home Hour. Over the next two years, her career steadily increased, and in 1959 she made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry; the not long after year, she recorded her first single, “Puppy Love,” for Goldband.

When she was 14 years old, Parton signed to Mercury Records, but her 1962 debut for the label, “It’s Sure Gonna Hurt,” was a bomb and the label immediately dropped her. Over the next five years, she shopped for a new contract and did indeed record a number of songs, which were later reissued through budget-line records. She continued to attend high school, performing snare drum in the marching lineup. After she graduated, she moved to Nashville where she stayed with Bill Owens. Both songwriters pitched material across Nashville to no success, and Parton began singing on demos. Early in 1965, both Parton and Owens finally found work when Fred Foster signed them to his publishing house, Combine music; Foster subsequently signed her to Monument Records. Parton’s first records for Monument were marketed to pop audiences, and her second record, “Happy, Happy Birthday Baby,” nearly made the charts. In 1966, Bill Phillips took two of Parton’s and Owens’ songs — “Put It Off Until Tomorrow” and “The Company You Keep” — to the Top Ten, setting the stage for Parton’s breakthrough single, “Dumb Blonde.” put forth early in 1967, the album climbed to number 24, followed shortly afterward by the number 17 “Something Fishy.”

The two hit Monument singles attracted the focus of country star Porter Wagoner, who was looking to hire a new female vocalist for his syndicated tv show. Parton accepted the offer and started appearing on the show on September 5, 1967. Initially, Wagoner’s audience was reluctant to warm to Parton and chanted for Norma Jean, the vocalist she replaced, but with Wagoner’s assistance, she was accepted. Wagoner convinced his label, RCA, to also sign Parton. Since female performers were not particularly successful in the late ’60s, the label decided to protect their investment by releasing her first single as a duet with Wagoner. The duo’s first single, “The Last Thing on My Mind,” reached the country Top Ten early in 1968, launching a six-year streak of virtually uninterrupted Top Ten singles. Parton’s first solo single, “Just Because I’m a Woman,” was put forth in the summer of 1968 and was a moderate hit, reaching number 17. For the remainder of the decade, none of her solo efforts — even “In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad),” which would later become a standard — were as popular as her duets. The twosome was named Vocal group of the Year in 1968 by the Country material Association, but Parton’s solo records were continually ignored. Wagoner and Parton were both frustrated by her lack of solo success, because he had a significant financial stake in her future — as of 1969, he was her co-producer and owned nearly half of the publishing company Owepar.

By 1970, both Parton and Wagoner had grown frustrated by her lack of solo success, and Porter had her sing Jimmie Rodgers’ “Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8),” a gimmick that worked. The record shot to number three on the charts, followed closely by her first number one single, “Joshua.” For the next two years, she had a number of solo favorites — which included her signature song “Coat of Many Colors” (number four, 1971) — in addition to her duets. Though she had popular singles, none of them were blockbusters until “Jolene” reached number one in early 1974. Parton stopped traveling with Wagoner after its release, yet she continued to appear on television and sing duets with him until 1976.

Once she exited Wagoner, Parton’s records became more eclectic and diverse, ranging from the ballad “I Will Always Love You” (number one, 1974) and the racy “The Bargain Store” (number one, 1975) to the crossover pop of “Here You Come Again” (number one, 1977) and the disco experiments of “Baby I’m Burning” (number 25 pop, 1978). From 1974 to 1980, she consistently charted in the country Top Ten, with no less than eight singles climbing to number one. Parton had her own syndicated tv show, Dolly, in 1976 and by the next year had gained the right to produce her own albums, which immediately resulted in diverse efforts like 1977’s New Harvest…First Gathering. In addition to her own hits while the late ’70s, many artists, from Rose Maddox and Kitty Wells to Olivia Newton-John, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt, covered her songs, and her siblings Randy and Stella received recording contracts of their own.

Though she was quite popular, Parton became a genuine superstar in 1977, when the Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil song “Here You Come Again” became a huge crossover hit, climbing to number three on the pop charts, spending five weeks at the top of the country charts, and going gold. Its accompanying album went platinum and the follow-up, Heartbreaker, went gold. Soon, she was on the cover of country and mainstream publications alike. With the new financial windfall, a lawsuit against Wagoner — who had received a significant portion of her royalties — ensued. By the time it was settled, she regained her copyrights at a time of Wagoner was given a nominal fee and the studio the pair shared. In the wake of the lawsuit, a delayed duet album, Making Plans, appeared in 1980; its title track hit number two on the country charts.

Parton’s commercial success continued to grow during 1980, as she had three number one favorites in a row: the Donna Summer-written “Starting Over Again,” “Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle to You),” and “9 to 5.” The latter was the theme song to Parton’s acting debut, 9 to 5. Also starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, the movie became a huge success, establishing Parton as a movie star. The song became her first number one pop single, as well. 9 to 5 gave Parton’s career momentum that lasted throughout the early ’80s. She started appearing in more films, including the Burt Reynolds musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982) and the Sylvester Stallone comedy Rhinestone (1984). Parton’s singles continued to appear consistently in the country Top Ten: between 1981 and 1985, she had 12 Top Ten hits and half of those were number one singles. Parton continued to make inroads on the pop charts as well with a re-recorded version of “I Will Always Love You” from The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas scraping the Top 50 and her Kenny Rogers duet “Islands in the Stream” (which was written by the Bee Gees and produced by Barry Gibb) spending two weeks at number one.

However, by 1985 many old-time fans had felt that Parton was spending too much time courting the mainstream. Most of her copies were dominated by the adult contemporary pop of material like “Islands in the Stream,” and it had been years since she had sung straightforward country. She also continued to explore new business and entertainment ventures such as her Dollywood theme park, which opened in 1985. Despite these misgivings, she had continued to chart well until 1986, when none of her singles reached the Top Ten. RCA Records didn’t renew her contract after it expired that year, and she signed with Columbia in 1987.

Before she released her Columbia debut, Parton joined forces with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris to album the rootsy trio album. threesome became a huge hit, earning both critical and popular acclaim, selling over a million copies, and peaking at number six on the pop charts; it also spawned three Top Ten country singles: “To Know Him Is to Love Him,” “Telling Me Lies,” and “Those Memories of You.” not long after the success of the album, she had a weekly variety tv show, Dolly, on ABC that lasted only one season. threesome also provided a perfect launching pad for her first Columbia album, 1989’s White Limozeen, which produced two number one hits in “Why’d You Come in Here Lookin’ Like That” and “Yellow Roses.”

Though it looked like Parton’s career had been revived, it was actually just a brief revival before contemporary country came along in the early ’90s and pushed all veteran performers out of the charts. Parton had a number one duet with Ricky Van Shelton, “Rockin’ Years,” in 1991, but after that single, she slowly crept out of the Top Ten and later the Top 40. Parton was one of the most outspoken critics of radio’s treatment of older stars. at a time of her sales had declined, she didn’t disappear. Despite her lack of sales, Parton remained an iconic figure in country music, appearing in films (the 1991 TV-movie Wild Texas Wind, 1992’s Straight Talk), selling out concerts, and releasing a series of acclaimed units — which included 1993’s Honky Tonk Angels, a collaboration with Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn — that all sold respectably. Furthermore, “I Will Always Love You” was covered in 1992 by Whitney Houston, who took it to number one on the pop charts; the single spent 14 weeks at number one, becoming the biggest pop hit of the rock & roll sub-genre (it was unseated four years later by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day”).

In 1994, Parton published her autobiography, My Life and Other Unfinished Business. Treasures, her 1996 album, was a praised collection of unusual covers, ranging from Merle Haggard to Neil Young. Hungry Again came in 1998, and early the following year she reunited with Ronstadt and Harris for a second threesome collection in addition to releasing the solo The Grass Is Blue. A rootsy effort, it was well received and prompted the release of more recordings like it on Little Sparrow from 2001 and Halos & Horns from 2002. The patriotic For God and Country appeared in 2003 and was came by the CD and DVD Live and Well a year later. Those Were the Days from 2005 found Parton covering her favorite pop music from the ’60s and ’70s. 2008 saw the release of Parton’s first mainstream country album in nearly 20 years, Backwoods Barbie, on her own Dolly Records imprint.

Dolly Parton Makes Kid’s Animation Debut on “Lily’s Driftwood Bay” – 3/13 at 9 AM ET on Sprout

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Dolly Parton on Sprout TV

QUEEN OF COUNTRY DOLLY PARTON GUEST STARS ON ALL NEW EPISODE “LILY’S DRIFTWOOD BAY” AIRING ONLY ON SPROUT, MARCH 13 AT 9AM Eastern Parton Makes Kids’ Animation Debut as Noleen, a Famous Singing Chicken WHAT: Global music legend Dolly Parton guest stars on a special episode of the preschool series LILY’S DRIFTWOOD BAY airing on Sprout, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment’s 24-hour preschool network. Parton plays the role Nolene, a famous country music star, who becomes stranded on Driftwood Bay due to a storm. While she waits for her yacht to be repaired, Nolene tempts sea dog Salty (Peter Mullan) to form a glamourous singing duo with her. With dreams for becoming a big star, Salty nearly accept the amazing offer until he realizes how much he’ll miss his friends. Parton’s episode will air during “Sunny Side Up,” the only LIVE morning show for preschoolers, at 9 AM ET on Monday, March 13. Lily’s Driftwood Bay follows the life of a five-year-old girl named Lily who lives with her Dad in a hut on the beach. Across the way is Driftwood Bay, an island that Lily can see from her window. Each episode, Lily and her best friend Gull, the clever seagull, travel to Driftwood Bay. Lily uses her imagination to create a world of adventure and friendship from all of the different treasures she finds washed up on the beach.

Mountain Soul Vocal Competition Honors Dolly Parton’s Songwriting Career

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Dolly Parton

Born Dolly Rebecca Parton on January 19, 1946, in Sevierville, Tenn., Dolly drew much inspiration from her “Tennessee Mountain Home” and wrote about the beautiful scenery and Appalachian culture that surrounded her. To honor her incredible songwriting, her hometown will once again host the Mountain Soul Vocal Competition, now in its 13th year. This year’s competition will feature contestants who are asked to sing a song written by Dolly Parton in the style of his or her own choosing (country, rock, rap, bluegrass, etc.). Contestants may enter in the 13 and up age division or the 12 and under division for this competition. “This competition is truly unique and draws competitors from all corners of the United States,” says Chamber Marketing Director and event organizer Amanda Marr. “Since Dolly Parton is Sevierville’s hometown girl, holding a competition that honors her songwriting ability was a natural fit for us.” As far as event organizers know, this is the only vocal competition in the world that specifically honors the songwriting of Dolly Parton.  Winning competitors take home cash and prizes including a recording session in Nashville, Tennessee. Auditions, sent by mail, will be judged by a panel of entertainment professionals who will identify 30 finalists – 20 in the ages 13+ division and 10 in the ages 12 and under division. The entry deadline for the preliminary round of the Mountain Soul Vocal Competition is Friday April 7, 2017. Those finalists will then perform during the Mountain Soul Vocal Competition Finals near the bronze statue of Dolly Parton at Bloomin’ Barbeque & Bluegrass on Saturday, May 20, 2017. For a complete list of Dolly’s songs, competitors – and those that are interested – should visit www.dollymania.net. It is not necessary, nor is it encouraged to impersonate Dolly Parton, either physically or vocally. Interested vocalists may obtain an application online at www.BloominBBQ.com or by calling the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce at 1-888-889-7415. Return the application and entry fee along with an audition CD, DVD, or Digital File on Jump Drive / Thumb Drive of the contestant singing a song written by Dolly Parton in the style of his or her own choosing to the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce. Entries must be postmarked by April 7, 2017. The Mountain Soul Vocal Competition is part of Sevierville’s 13th Annual Bloomin’ Barbeque & Bluegrass event May 19-20, 2017. For more information about the Mountain Soul Vocal Competition or Bloomin’ Barbeque & Bluegrass, visit www.BloominBBQ.com.

Dolly Parton’s My People Fund Serves Nearly 900 Families In First Distribution

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Smokey Mountains Rise - Benefiting Dolly Parton's My People Fund

Donations to the fund continue as totals climb to $9.3 million PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (December 22, 2016) – In a little more than two weeks after the wildfires that spread across Dolly Parton’s home area of Sevier County, Tennessee, Parton and the Dollywood Foundation launched the distribution of assistance from the My People Fund. During the four day cash distribution, 884 families received their initial support payments. “It’s a blessing during this holiday season that we are able to help as many families as we have so far,” Parton said. “We know there are more families out there who need our help and we encourage them to be in contact with us before our January distribution.” The Dollywood Foundation My People Fund provides $1,000 each month to Sevier County families whose homes are uninhabitable or were completely destroyed in the recent Smoky Mountain wildfires. Any family who lost their primary residence (renters and homeowners) due to the wildfires in Sevier County will be eligible. A pre-application for those affected is available at dollywoodfoundation.org. Millions of people watched Smoky Mountains Rise: A Benefit for the My People Fund telethon on Tuesday, December 13 on Great American Country, AXS-TV, RFD-TV and The Heartland Network and during several rebroadcasts throughout the last week. As a result, donations continued to roll in and thanks to generous people from coast to coast and Parton’s friends, the total amount raised has climbed to $9.3 million. “As, Dolly said, the response has been overwhelming,” David Dotson, Dollywood Foundation President said. “We will distribute all $9.3 million to the families affected. That will insure all of the money raised will go to where Dolly promised it would go.” The next distribution is January 26 and 27, 2017 at the LeConte Events Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. About the Dollywood Foundation My People Fund: More than 1,300 families have been displaced due to the wildfires which spread across Parton’s home area of Sevier County, Tennessee in late November. The entertainment icon established the Dollywood Foundation My People Fund to provide $1,000 each month for six months to every family who lost their primary residence. About Smoky Mountains Rise: Smoky Mountains Rise was a three-hour telethon broadcast on Tuesday, Dec. 13 to raise money for the Dollywood Foundation’s My People Fund to benefit those affected by the Sevier County, Tennessee wildfires. Smoky Mountains Rise was executive produced by Dolly Parton, Danny Nozell, Kirt Webster, Pete Owens and Scott Durand. Produced by Edie Hoback, Jeremy Westby, Shanna Strassberg, Suzzane Skinner, Nic Dugger and Shantel Klinger. About The Dollywood Company: A highly-awarded and widely-recognized leader in the amusement industry, The Dollywood Company consists of the 150-acre Dollywood theme park; the 35-acre Dollywood’s Splash Country; Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort; and Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Cabins. As unique as its namesake and owner Dolly Parton, Dollywood is the 2010 Applause Award winner, the theme park industry’s highest accolade; winner of nearly 30 Golden Ticket Awards; and recipient of 25 Brass Ring Awards for Live Entertainment (more Continue reading Dolly Parton’s My People Fund Serves Nearly 900 Families In First Distribution→

Star-Studded Smoky Mountains Rise Telethon Raises Nearly $9Million, So Far

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Smokey Mountains Rise - Benefiting Dolly Parton's My People Fund

  The generosity of viewers’ unexpected volume of donations slowing final tally.   PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (December 14, 2016) – Millions watched Smoky Mountains Rise: A Benefit for the My People Fund telethon and millions were raised. The telethon, broadcast on GAC, AXS-TV, RFD and The Heartland Network Tuesday, received huge donations from music stars like Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, Chris Stapleton, Chris Young, Paul Simon and Dierks Bentley but also from families across the country who just want to give the people of Dolly’s home area a hand up in the tragic wildfires. “I am overwhelmed by the generosity of the people who have donated from all over the country and to my friends who donated their time, their talent, and money for My People,” Dolly Parton explained. “The response has been so overwhelming that we haven’t been able to count all of the donations yet; right now, in total, we have raised about $9 million dollars for the folks who lost everything in Sevier County.” The total amount raised is expected to rise as mail donations are counted and the telethon is rebroadcast to new audiences over the next five days. Anyone who would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to the My People Fund may visit dollywoodfoundation.org. For those wishing to send donations via mail, those contributions should be sent to: My People Fund, c/o Dollywood Foundation, 111 Dollywood Lane, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863. Donations are also being accepted by texting DOLLY to 501501 for a onetime $10 donation or DOLLY25 to 501501 for a onetime $25 donation. Messaging and data rates will apply. More than 1300 families have been displaced due to the wildfires which spread across Parton’s home area of Sevier County, Tennessee in late November. The entertainment icon established the Dollywood Foundation My People Fund to provide $1000 each month for six months to every family who lost their primary residence. Artists who donated their performances to the effort include: Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, Hank Williams Jr., Chris Stapleton, Reba McEntire, Alison Krauss, Michael W. Smith, Chris Janson, Big & Rich, LOCASH, Chris Young, Montgomery Gentry, Jamey Johnson, Cyndi Lauper, Don McLean, Amy Grant, Alabama, Aaron Lewis and Rhonda Vincent. Dolly hosted the overall telethon with friends HLN’s Robin Meade, GAC’s Suzanne Alexander and Nan Kelly, The Bobby Bones Show’s Bobby Bones, SiriusXM’s Storme Warren, Crook & Chase hosts Lorriane Crook and Charlie Chase, Nash Night LIVE’s Shaun Parr and Elaina D. Smith, and TuneIn Country Roads’ Kelly Sutton will share hosting duties throughout the three-hour broadcast. Celebrities also donated their time to answer phones including: Paula Deen and her sons Bobby and Jamie, Chrisley Knows Best cast members Todd, Julie and Savannah, Moonshiners’ cast members Mark and Digger, Nashville’s Charles Esten, cast members of Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors, country hit-makers Chris & Morgane Stapleton, Mark Wills, Lee Greenwood, Larry & Rudy Gatlin, TG Sheppard, John Conlee, Ronnie McDowell, Kristian Bush, Tim Rushlow, T. Graham Brown, Dolly’s nieces Rebecca Seaver and Danielle Continue reading Star-Studded Smoky Mountains Rise Telethon Raises Nearly $9Million, So Far→

Hank Williams Jr., Cyndi Lauper, Alabama, Don McLean, Ronnie Dunn,Jamey Johnson & Lauren Alaina To Perform Dec. 13 On Smoky Mountains RiseTelethon

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Smokey Mountains Rise - Benefiting Dolly Parton's My People Fund

Paula Deen, Moonshiner’s Mark & Digger and more join celebrity phone bank PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (December 11, 2016) – The impressive lineup of performers continues to grow for Smoky Mountains Rise: A Benefit for the My People Fund on Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. (EST). Hank Williams Jr., Cyndi Lauper, Alabama, Don McLean, Ronnie Dunn, Jamey Johnson and Lauren Alaina have been added to the star-studded telecast, which will be broadcast on GAC, AXS-TV, RFD and The Heartland Network. A number of celebrities will answer phones during the telethon. Paula Deen and her sons Bobby and Jamie, RaeLynn, Dailey & Vincent, Moonshiners’ Mark & Digger, T.G. Sheppard, Jason Crabb, Larry Gatlin, comedian Henry Cho, Tim Rushlow and more will help man the phone lines during the telethon. All of the celebrities are donating their time and performances to help the effort. “Every day I’m touched even more by the number of people who are joining us to help raise money for the people of the Smoky Mountains,” Parton said. “It is a special place and I’m honored that these people care so much about what we’re doing through the My People Fund to help those who have lost everything due to the wildfires.” The nationally-broadcast telethon seeks to raise money for the Dollywood Foundation’s My People Fund, established by Parton, The Dollywood Company and Parton’s dinner theaters in the wake of last week’s wildfires in the entertainment icon’s home area of Sevier County, Tennessee. Smoky Mountains Rise also will be simulcast across multiple radio chains, including iHeart Media‘s digital and select on-air platforms, Cumulus Media’s NASH Nights LIVE, TuneIn’s Country Roads channel, and several other platforms which are set to be announced shortly. All of the artists are donating their performances to help the effort. USAToday.com and USA Today National Networks will live stream the telethon on their affiliate newspaper websites, including all Tennessee newspaper sites Tennessean.com, Knoxnews.com, commercialappeal.com, jacksonsun.com, theleafchronicle.com, dnj.com, and others. The My People Fund will provide $1000 each month to Sevier County families whose homes are uninhabitable or were completely destroyed in the recent Smoky Mountain wildfires. Any family who lost their primary residence (renters and homeowners) due to the wildfires in Sevier County will be eligible. A pre-application for those affected is available at dollywoodfoundation.org. During the telethon, viewers will be asked to call 1-866-CARE MORE to donate to the My People Fund. Anyone who would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to the My People Fund may visit dollywoodfoundation.org. For those wishing to send donations via mail, those contributions should be sent to: My People Fund, c/o Dollywood Foundation, 111 Dollywood Lane, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863. Please help the Dollywood Foundation share the word about this effort by using the hashtags #MyPeopleFund and #someplacespecial.  

Christmas in the Smokies Helps Disaster Relief Efforts

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Country Christmas

The annual Christmas in the Smokies Bluegrass Festival will be held December 7-10 at the Ramada Inn & Smoky Mountain Convention Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Hosted by Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road, the festival brings together many traditional bluegrass and gospel bands for an early Christmas celebration. This year, the festival will go on with no interruption to the musical program or accommodations due to the wildfires. However, the festival has also has been blessed with the opportunity to help local residents who have been impacted by the devastating fire that has ravaged the area. By aligning with the Dollywood Foundation’s unprecedented support of east Tennessee, Bluegrass Christmas in the Smokies created a special, $15 general admission ticket for Friday and Saturday night. All proceeds from these tickets will be donated to the Dollywood Foundation’s Smokey Mountain “My People” fund. “We are blessed that the fires have been contained and that the area where we host the festival is free of any problems. As the promoter, I feel that the best way to help the community is through Dolly Parton’s My People Fund. Please join us in helping out the victims of this terrible experience by coming to the festival and supporting the area economy with your tourism dollars and your ticket donation,” said Lorraine Jordan. Scheduled to perform throughout the festival produced by Jordan Entertainment are: Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road, Lonesome River Band, Goldwing Express, Ralph Stanley II, Ronnie Reno & Reno Tradition, Paul Williams and Victory Trio, the Bluegrass Mountaineers, Garrett Newton Band, Balsam Range, Williamson Branch, Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier, Malpass Brothers, Salt and Light and the Dean Osborne Band, The Grascals, Smoky Mtn All-Stars: Tim White, Jerry Butler, Matt Leadbetter, Matt Wallace, Josh Goforth, Larry Stephenson Band, Edgar Loudermilk Band Featuring Jeff Autry, Sideline, Mark Templeton, Deeper Shade of Blue, The Moore Family. Click here for band schedule. For more festival information and to purchase special Disaster Relief tickets, visit www.BluegrassChristmasInSmokies.com or call 919-779-5672  

Dolly Parton’s ‘Christmas Of Many Colors: Circle Of Love’ Set To Air On NBC November 30th

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Dolly Parton

  Dolly to Appear on The Today Show, Christmas In Rockefeller Center, The Voice, The REAL, and Keep The Faith radio with print features in Parade, Country Living, US Weekly and so much more! Jennifer Nettles, Ricky Schroder, and Gerald McCraney will co-star in the upcoming holiday movie “Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love” airing Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 9 p.m. ET/PT with Dolly Parton making a special guest appearance. In the two-hour movie, the Partons, a family of humble means living in the mountains of Tennessee, face a devastating event that challenges their will. But when they experience a bewildering Christmas miracle, the Partons are drawn closer together than ever — with deepened faith and love for one another. In support of the movie’s airing, Dolly Parton will grace the cover of the Nov 27th issue of Parade magazine and will appear on various television programs. Upcoming Dolly Parton Appearances Nov. 25 – Dolly appears on The Today Show Nov. 27 – Dolly co-hosts Keep The Faith radio (syndicated) Nov. 29 – Dolly performs on The Voice (8pm EST/7pm CST) Nov. 30 – Dolly appears on The REAL (syndicated) Nov. 30 – Dolly performs on Christmas In Rockefeller Center on NBC (8pm EST/7pm CST) Nov. 30 – Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love on NBC (9pm EST/8pm CST)

Gift Ideas For Country Music Lovers This Holiday Season

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Country Christmas

The holiday season is just around the corner and we’ve compiled a list of the perfect stocking stuffers for your Holiday Gift Guide. From Dolly Parton’s new album to Kiefer Sutherland’s country music debut, and The Oak Ridge Boys new line of pickled peppers, there is something for everyone. *Some links may result in a commission for the publishing company, however this will not affect your price. Books Bill Anderson: Songwriting icon and legendary performer “Whisperin’ Bill” Anderson pens the lyrics to his life in a new revealing autobiography titled “Whisperin’ Bill Anderson: An Unprecedented Life In Country Music”. The 360-page representation of Anderson’s journey includes rare, never-before-seen photos and eye-opening personal stories from his career – from early days of radio broadcasting in Georgia, to standing alongside the greatest country music stars in the world onstage at the Grand Ole Opry, to being named BMI’s first ICON Award winner in the country music genre. Click here to order: billanderson.com. Lee Greenwood: From GRAMMY-winning and seven time No. 1 hit making country music star Lee Greenwood comes the best-selling children’s book, “Proud To Be An American.” Written by Greenwood in the words of “God Bless The U.S.A.,” and fully illustrated with colorful, vibrant images by Amanda Sekulow, “Proud To Be An American” follows a man and his grandson across the U.S. to various national landmarks including the Golden Gate Bridge, Arlington Cemetery and more. Click here to order: amazon.com/Proud-Be-American-Lee-Greenwood/dp/1940262968/. Tommy Roe: In 2016, Tommy released his autobiography, “From Cabbagetown To Tinseltown…”. In his own words he says quite candidly that it isn’t just his story. It’s history. Throughout the book, Tommy parallels his early days growing up in Atlanta as well as his successful career in the music business with the many cultural and political changes in America during those quite tumultuous times. He paints a vivid picture of how the music and the artists of the 1950s and 60s played a major role in this upheaval and what it was like to be in the middle of it all. Click here to order: www.tommyroe.com. Food The Oak Ridge Boys: The country music legends are proud to introduce their first brand of pickled peppers : The Oak Ridge Boys Favorite Southern Style Bread N Butter Jalapeños. Available at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store®, the pickles are made with a combination of jalapenos and onions that – just like the music of the Oaks – will leave fans wanting more. Continuing with the Oaks’ love of all things Red, White, and Blue, The Oak Ridge Boys Favorite Southern Style Bread N Butter Jalapeños are made in the U.S.A. with no artificial ingredients, colors, flavors, or preservatives. Visit Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® for purchase. Holiday Albums Exile: Multi-platinum-selling crossover group EXILE has been topping the pop and country charts for more than 50 years, but the band is treading new ground in 2016 with their first-ever Christmas album, Wrapped Up In Your Arms For Christmas. Visit exile.biz for more info. T. Continue reading Gift Ideas For Country Music Lovers This Holiday Season→

Children’s Book Inspired By Dolly Parton’s Classic Song Shares Importance Of Respect And Gratitude

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Country music legend Dolly Parton brings her beloved classic to life in Coat of Many Colors (Grosset & Dunlap; on sale October 18, 2016), a new picture book for young readers with all-new illustrations by Brooke Boynton Hughes and featuring a downloadable exclusive original song by Dolly Parton, “Making Fun Ain’t Funny.” [AMAZONPRODUCTS asin=”0451532376″] Using lyrics from her classic song “Coat of Many Colors,” and inspired by Parton’s rural upbringing in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, the picture book tells the story of a young girl in need of a warm winter coat. When her mother sews her a coat made of rags, the girl is mocked by classmates for being poor. But Parton’s trademark positivity carries through to the end as the girl realizes that her coat was made with love “in every stitch.” Francesco Sedita, President and Publisher, Grosset & Dunlap, said, “As someone who grew up listening to Dolly Parton with my family, having this very special opportunity to work on the Coat of Many Colors picture book has been a lifelong dream come true. The book& mdash;and the song, of course—really speaks to how important family and community is. And how vital it is to respect those around us and to be grateful for what we have. I believe this book is one that will be passed down for generations to come.” Coat of Many Colors is the latest project in Dolly Parton’s longtime mission to support childhood literacy. In 1988, she began the Dollywood Foundation to inspire children in her home community to dream more, learn more, care more, and be more. The Foundation’s signature program is the Dolly Parton Imagination Library which works with local sponsors to give every preschool child a book each month from the time he or she is born until the child reaches kindergarten. The Imagination Library has gifted over 80 million books in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia. Following the publication of Coat of Many Color s, NBC will air the sequel to last year’s TV movie “Coat of Many Colors.” In “Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love,” the Partons, a family of humble means living in the mountains of Tennessee, face a devastating event that challenges their will. But when they experience a bewildering Christmas miracle, the Partons are drawn closer together than ever—with deepened faith and love for one another. An internationally renowned superstar, the iconic and irrepressible Dolly Parton has contributed countless treasures to the world of music entertainment, penning classic songs such as “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors,” and her mega-hit “I Will Always Love You.” She has garnered 7 Grammy Awards, 10 Country Music Association Awards, 5 Academy of Country Music Awards, 3 American Music Awards, and is one of only five fema le artists to win the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year Award. Dolly Parton is an instantly recognizable American icon. She is a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award Winner, a Kennedy Center Honors recipient, and Continue reading Children’s Book Inspired By Dolly Parton’s Classic Song Shares Importance Of Respect And Gratitude→

Dolly Parton Releases Lyric Video For "Head Over High Heels"

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Dolly Parton

Today, world renowned superstar Dolly Parton has released the lyric video for “Head Over High Heels,” a track from her recently released critically acclaimed Pure & Simple album on Dolly Records/RCA Nashville. The lyric video premiered yesterday on Cosmopolitan, see their exclusive interview here. Dolly’s 43rd studio recording and the first release of her recently-announced joint venture b etween Dolly Records and Sony Music Nashville, achieves #1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart with first-week sales of 20,000 units! This marks the first time Dolly has topped Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart in the 25-year history of SoundScan. The new album which released August 19th on Dolly Records/RCA Nashville lands the #11 slot on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart with a first-week total consumption of 21,000. On Billboard’s Americana/Folk Albums chart, the disc debuts at #1. In the UK, Pure & Simple enters the all-genre album sales chart at #2, behind Frank Ocean’s Blonde. DOLLY PARTON PURE & SIMPLE NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES:  Sept. 19 Rogers Arena – Vancouver, BC, Canada Sept. 21 ShoWare Center – Kent, Wash. SOLD OUT Sept. 22 Northern Quest Casino – Airway Heights, Wash. Sept. 24 Shoreline Amphitheatre – Mountain View, Calif. Sept. 25 Santa Barbara Bowl – Santa Barbara, Calif. Sept. 27 Valley View Casino – San Diego, Calif. Sept. 28 Vina Robles Amphitheatre – Paso Robles, Calif. Sept. 30 Laughlin Amphitheatre – Laughlin, Nev. Oct. 01 Hollywood Bowl – Los Angeles, Calif. Oct. 02 Hollywood Bowl – Los Angeles, Calif. Nov. 15 LeConte Center – Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Nov. 16 Von Braun Center Arena – Huntsville, AL Nov. 18 North Charleston Coliseum – North Charleston S.C. Nov. 26 Amalie Arena – Tampa FL Nov. 27 BB&T – Sunrise, FL Nov. 29 Pensacola Bay Center – Pensacola, FL Nov. 30 Smoothie King Center – New Orleans, LA Dec. 02 American Bank Center Arena – Corpus Christi, TX Dec. 03 Verizon Theatre – Grand Prairie, TX Dec. 05 NRG Arena – Houston, TX Dec. 06 Frank Erwin Center – Austin, TX Dec. 08 Tobin Center for the Performing Arts – San Antonio, TX Dec. 09 Global Event Center at WinStar World Casino and Resort – Thackerville, Okla. Dec. 10 Global Event Center at WinStar World Casino and Resort – Thackerville, Okla. Fans can link to purchase Pure & Simple and the various versions available by exclusive partners below: Cracker Barrel: http://smarturl.it/dollycbps Walmart: http://smarturl.it/walmartdolly Amazon Music: http://smarturl.it/amzmusicdolly Amazon Physical: http://smarturl.it/amazondolly Apple Music: http://smarturl.it/dollypartonps Google: http://smarturl.it/gpdolly Spotify: http://smarturl.it/spotifydolly< /div> Walmart’s special version of Pure & Simple includes a bonus disc, featuring Dolly’s greatest hits and exclusive tracks. The Cracker Barrel deluxe version contains her Pure & Simple album complemented by two tracks, the smash hits “Jolene” and “9 To 5” recorded live at Glastonbury Festival, along with a 48-page ZinePak magazine filled with photos and interviews highlighting memorable stories from Parton. ABOUT DOLLY PARTON An internationally renowned superstar, the iconic and irrepressible Dolly Parton has contributed countless treasures to the world of entertainment. All-inclusive sales of singles, albums, hits Continue reading Dolly Parton Releases Lyric Video For "Head Over High Heels"→