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.

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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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"→

Dolly Parton’s ‘Pure & Simple’ Debuts At #1 Worldwide!

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The Superstar Dolly Parton Tops Billboard’s Top Country Albums Chart For The First Time In The 25-Year History Of SoundScan! NASHVILLE, Tenn. (August 30, 2016) – World-renowned singer/songwriter/entertainer Dolly Parton has a worldwide #1 album to celebrate this week. The superstar’s new release Pure & Simple debuts at #1 not only in the U.S., but, also on the national country charts in Canada, U.K. and Australia. Dolly’s 43rd studio recording and the first release of her recently-announced joint venture between 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. Upon hearing the news, Dolly Parton, who co-produced and wrote every song on Pure & Simple, enth used, “Boy, it’s a good day for me. I am a happy girl!” She continued, “It feels great to be #1 as it’s been a long time and it feels so good to still be in the game after all this time.” Remarked Doug Morris, CEO, Sony Music Entertainment, “Congratulations, Dolly, for your stunning debut with Pure & Simple.You put your heart and soul in this album, and we join you in celebrating a long-overdue #1 on the country album chart.” “I thought it was a magical time back in 1981, when I first started working with Dolly as we set up her Best Little Whorehouse album on RCA, right after her huge hit, ‘9 To 5,’” reflected Randy Goodman, Chairman & CEO, Sony Music Nashville. “I spent a week with her on the RCA jet visiting radio and retail all over the country.” Goodman continued, “But, to be reunited with Dolly and have a #1 debut is wonderful. Thank you, Doug Morris for bringing Dolly back to RCA.” CTK Management CEO Danny Nozell said, “There is nobody more deserving of this tremendous success. Having worked with Dolly for the past 13 years, I have never met any person that works harder than her.” Nozell added, “She is a businesswoman that understands her brand and knows exactly what to do and when to do it, and once again, she proves it with a #1 album.” Last week, Dolly Parton made appearances on NBC’s Today and Tonight Show, among other TV shows. Fans can link to purchase Pure & Simple and the various versions available by exclusive partners below: Cracker Barrel: smarturl.it/dollycbps Walmart: smarturl.it/walmartdolly Amazon Music: smarturl.it/amzmusicdolly Amazon Physical: smarturl.it/amazondolly Apple Music: smarturl.it/dollypartonps Google: smarturl.it/gpdolly Spotify: smarturl.it/spotifydolly Walmart’s special version of Pure & Simple includes a bonus disc, featuring Dolly’s greatest hits and exclusive tracks. The Cracker Barrel deluxe Continue reading Dolly Parton’s ‘Pure & Simple’ Debuts At #1 Worldwide!→

Dolly Parton Releases Lyric Video For "Outside Your Door"

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DOLLY PARTON RELEASES BRAND NEW LYRIC VIDEO FOR “OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR” Song Available As “Instant-Grat Track” at iTunes With Pre-Order of Upcoming Album, Pure & Simple World-renowned singer/songwriter/entertainer Dolly Parton released a lyric video for “Outside Your Door,” which premiered yesterday on One Country. “Outside Your Door” is available for instant download HERE when you pre-order Dolly’s upcoming album Pure & Simple, out August 19th on Dolly Records/RCA Nashville. “Dolly, as a national treasure, is at her best on ‘Outside Your Door’… the tune, musically, is simple in production terms and features that classic Dolly charm with the lyrics.” – One Country “I may not be pure, but I’m as simple as they come! This new ‘Pure & Simple’ project is really special to me because I’m taking my fans back to my roots,” Dolly explained in a recent interview with Huffington Post. “I feel like these songs have a pure, tender side and we didn’t go overboard with the arrangements. I’m so glad we’ve teamed up with our friends at Sony to get this album out to the fans.” Pure & Simple Track List 1. “Pure & Simple” 2. “Say Forever You’ll Be Mine” 3. “Never Not Love You” 4. “Kiss It (And Make It All Better)” 5. “Can’t Be That Wrong” 6. “Outside Your Door” 7. “Tomorrow Is Forever” 8. “I’m Sixteen” 9. “Head Over High Heels” 10. “Forever Love” Pre-order Pure & Simple Now iTunes: smarturl.it/dollypartonps Physical & Merch Bundles: shop.dollyparton.com/collections/pure-simple Stream “Outside Your Door” Apple Music (streaming): smarturl.it/applemusicdolly Spotify: smarturl.it/dollyoutsideyourdoor Google Play: smarturl.it/dollygoogleoyd DOLLY PARTON PURE & SIMPLE NORTH AMERICAN TOUR: July 29 Sprint Center – Kansas City, Mo. July 30 Scottrade Center – St. Louis, Mo. Aug. 02 Celeste Center- Columbus, Ohio Aug. 03 Allen County War Memorial Coliseum – Fort Wayne, Ind. Aug. 04 The Colosseum at Caesar Windsor – Windsor, ON, Canada Aug. 06 Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids, Mich. Aug. 07 Ravinia Festival – Highland Park, Ill. Aug. 09 Norton Center for the Arts – Danville, Ky. Aug. 10 Ford Center – Evansville, Ind. Aug. 12 BOK Center – Tulsa, Okla. Aug. 13 Verizon Arena – Little Rock, Ark. Sept. 09 Molson Canadian Amphitheatre – Toronto, ON, Canada Sept. 10 Essar Centre – Sault Sainte Marie, ON, Canada Sept. 12 MTS Centre – Winnipeg, MB, Canada Sept. 13 Mosaic Place – Moose Jaw, SK, Canada Sept. 16 Scotiabank Saddledome – Calgary, AB, Canada Sept. 17 Rogers Place – Edmonton, AB, Canada 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 Continue reading Dolly Parton Releases Lyric Video For "Outside Your Door"→

Dolly Parton Announces Album Pre-Order Bundles And Releases Lyric Video For "Pure & Simple"

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DOLLY PARTON ANNOUNCES ALBUM PRE-ORDER BUNDLES AND RELEASES LYRIC VIDEO FOR “PURE & SIMPLE” NASHVILLE, Tenn. (July 14, 2016) – Without a doubt, Dolly Parton continues to be one of the most aggressive artists in music when it comes to marketing themselves, and the Country Music Hall of Fame member continues that trend with the upcoming August 19 release of her new disc Pure & Simple – with four different pre-order bundles to help promote the album. Those packages are listed below: Standard Bundle ($40) – Pure & Simple album cover art on black 100% preshrunk cotton t-shirt, Pure & Simple CD, as well as an album digital download (will be delivered via email on August 19th). Deluxe Bundle ($60) – Pure & Simple CD, as well as digital download of the album (will be delivered via email on August 19th), a 3 notebook set with different Dolly logo designs (each notebook measures 3.5″ x 5.5″), and a Rhinestone and lace Dolly photo tote bag. Collectible Bundle ($100) – Pure & Simple CD, as well as a digital download of the album (will be delivered via email on August 19th) , a collectible Dolly guitar string bracelet and custom gift box, a 3 notebook set with different Dolly logo designs (each notebook measures 3.5″ x 5.5″), and a Rhinestone and lace Dolly photo tote bag. Commemorative Bundle ($400) – Pure & Simple CD, as well as a digital download of the album (will be delivered via email on August 19th), a collectible Doll y guitar string bracelet and custom Dolly logo gift box, a 3 notebook set with different Dolly logo designs (each notebook measures 3.5″ x 5.5″), and a Rhinestone and lace Dolly photo tote bag, and a 16″ x 16″ Collectible Limited Edition plaque commemorating the release of Dolly’s new album Pure & Simple (each plaque has the cover art and an official certificate of authenticity plate inside). Fans can go to shop.dollyparton.com for more information regarding the bundles. In other Dolly news, the entertainment icon has just released the title track lyric video, which can be viewed here: dollyparton.com/life-and-career/music/pure-simple/12058. “Pure & Simple” has caught the attention of digital retailer iTunes, which named Dolly’s track to their “Best of the Week” playlist. Fans can access the list by going to apple.co/BestOfTheWeek. Fans can also pre-order the physical copy of Pure & Simple through the following links: Walmart: walmart.com Amazon Physical: smarturl.it/amazondolly Streaming services offering pre-release track links for the album include: Apple Music: smarturl.it/applemusicdolly Spotify: smarturl.it/spotifydolly Google Play: smarturl.it/gpdollytrack And, fans cans can also pre-order Pure & Simple through these links, which will also offer downloads of both the title cut and (beginning July 29) “Outside Your Door.” iTunes: smarturl.it/dollypartonps Apple Music (streaming): smarturl.it/applemusicdolly

Dolly Parton Takes the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

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Kenny Rogers double-dog-dared Dolly and she accepted the challenge! “Kenny, you’ve got to pay extra for the wet t-shirt contest!” – Dolly Nashville, Tenn. (August 28, 2014) – Dolly Parton, who’s usually flooding stadiums with fans around the world, cools off her Summer by taking a dive into the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Dolly was challenged by several people including famous duet partner, Kenny Rogers. His doubted dare sparked her to accept and prove how nothing stands in her way for a good cause. “Kenny said you’ll never do it with your false hair, your false eyelashes, and your false nails,” responds Dolly. “Kenny, you’d be surprised at what all I do with my falses; for a good cause and a good laugh.” Parton drowns down the wigs, nails and lashes with a polar plunge to raise awareness for ALS at her Nashville home while resting after her Blue Smoke World Tour. “Although, I didn’t challenge anyone, I do challenge everybody to make a generous donation like I did!” adds Parton.

Dolly Parton: What She Taught Me About Being A Woman

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Dolly Parton and Everything She Taught Me About Being A Woman! I’ve learned a lot from Dolly Parton. As a woman, I don’t think I’m alone in searching for a role model who accurately represents my own struggles and my sense of overwhelming ambition to escape the confines of a life unsatisfied. Dolly’s ‘rags to riches’ life certainly seems to fit that mold, and you’d be hard pressed to find an interview or public appearance where she doesn’t mention it in addition to its influence in a great deal of her songs. Dolly as a Model of Success. While I haven’t had a personal interaction with the rural experience that Dolly describes, she has been inspiring to me in the motivation to find your way out of a difficult situation, and to want to strive for better. She worked extremely hard to get where she is today, and as someone who was unhappy where I began in life, I find her example very powerful. To view the things she has achieved in comparison to her origins, why should I, with a better start in life than her, not become successful? Dolly as a Star On Her Own Terms. In addition, she has been able to become a global star, be accepted by Nashville but also by legions of fans of other genres, and at times transcend the limitations of country, where perhaps it might have negative perceptions, for example the UK. She has been able to do exactly what she wants, and never appears to have gone by a rule book. I mean, she left a national syndicated television show at the height of its success, only to write one of the biggest selling songs in music about it, become a movie star in her own right and then open a hugely successful theme park. I could list all her crazy achievements here but I might just go beyond my word limit. Dolly as a Rule Breaker. So she has taught me you don’t have to follow the rules, and that brings me to my main point – Dolly taught me so much about being a woman. The thing that’s so remarkable about her success, particularly as a businesswoman, is that she is a woman. To have managed that during the 1970s and 1980s when women were still burning their bras and feminist scholars were abstaining from sex in protest, Dolly dressed up like a small town prostitute and became one of the most respected women in the industry. It is this that taught me the most. Dolly exploited the male perception of female beauty, by exaggerating it, mocking it, and taking the power into her own hands. On the one hand she was selling herself as a sex symbol, yet at the same time shifting the power from men to women and exposing the farce of expectations of female beauty for what it really was. Feminist is perhaps seen as an ugly word (although it shouldn’t be), but Dolly Continue reading Dolly Parton: What She Taught Me About Being A Woman→

Country Music Delivers Beyond the South

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Why I Love Country Music: Reaching Beyond Borders. I have a confession to make: I wasn’t raised on country music. No, it’s not that I just lived in New York and one day took a vacation to Nashville and it was all there in front of me. I mean I’ve never actually been to America. I have lived in England all my life, and being still in my early twenties I have never been able to afford to travel outside Europe. I discovered country music through watching American Idol, the artist who introduced me being Carrie Underwood. Although I tend to dislike country pop now, I still love her and hold her music dear because of the nostalgia I feel for the music I grew up with, through my teenage years. I was 13 at this point; a pop music fan as any young girl is, but being a bit of a social outcast and not really being interested in the rock that my few friends listened to (it was just too aggressive for me), country seemed to hold a happy medium of sorts. To me, the country/pop that I was exploring held more lyrical meaning for someone who was writing songs at the time, and had a lot of pent-up emotions, than pop music did. In addition, it was friendlier than rock music; the hyper-male aggression that that involved just didn’t suit me, being a young, timid, middle class teenage girl. But the more country music I heard, the more it seemed to speak to me; I found Dolly Parton when I was 14 and her girliness yet honed craft of emotional songwriting, combined with her feminine pride and exploitation of conventional female beauty, made sure that she became my idol. She also introduced me to so much other music, particularly that pre-2000 that I had no idea about. I knew nothing of the poverty she had suffered or her rags to riches story in relation to my own life, I knew nothing of life in the South or the kind of middle-of-nowhere small towns that inhabit them. In England, even small towns and villages are no more than an hour or so’s drive away from a city. The geographically extended community of country music was alien to me, yet it was this precise extended community feeling that attracted me. I didn’t connect with many of the people at my school. Isolation is a key component of country music’s appeal; it brings together like minded people who are otherwise miles apart. I felt like I suddenly belonged somewhere, and on the internet nobody is going to judge you. Or at least, it doesn’t feel like they are. With the internet now, increasingly country music fans (particularly the younger ones) are from wider walks of life. Country has lured them because it has promised a friend, something to support them in their toughest times and offer a song to cry to. Online forums and social media are perpetrators of this, Continue reading Country Music Delivers Beyond the South→

Dolly Parton Ditches Waterpark

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Dolly Parton Pulls Out of Plans for Nashville Waterpark! Earlier this year, it was announced that country music powerhouse, Dolly Parton, was in the thick of plans to create a waterpark in Nashville, TN. It looks like this is one project Parton won’t be seeing to completion though. Dolly’s team has released an official statement indicating that she will no longer be involved in the plans. While her words are tactful and diplomatic, if we read between the lines, it looks like someone was trying to push this woman around a little bit, and those of us that love Dolly, know that was a mistake! “Gaylord makes decisions that they feel are good for their company and their stockholders and I have to make decisions based on what is best for me and the Dollywood Company. Governor Haslam, Mayor Dean, and all the folks in government have been great to work with. I really appreciate their support through this process. I think everyone knows I love Nashville and I hope the work we’ve already done will spark more family entertainment in Nashville.” -Dolly Parton This news is a bit of a bummer, but luckily we still have plenty of Dolly-themed fun to experience already!