Rest In Peace, Dolly Parton (1946-2026)

Ever since childhood, I have been a pretty big Dolly Parton fan.  Her passing last month was a shock to me, even though for almost a year now, she had been providing video updates on her health, which should have been somewhat telling.  There have been many tributes to her in recent weeks, and I couldn't even begin to list everything she accomplished in her life, or all of her countless charitable contributions.  So, what I have decided to do for this post is what I do with many of my posts, and that is to just share my experiences and encounters relating to Dolly, as well as some items that I have collected over the years.

I first became aware of who Dolly Parton was, when I asked my mom what she wanted for Christmas one year, and she mentioned the record album, "Here You Come Again."  I ended up purchasing that album (at the Musicland store in the Puente Hills Mall) as a Christmas present for my mom.  The title song from this album was Dolly Parton's first "pop crossover" hit.  It not only made it to #1 on the Billboard country chart (for five consecutive weeks), but it made it to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 "pop" chart.  I didn't care too much for country music at this point, but this particular song quickly became one of my favorite songs.

Both of my parents listened to country music, so the following year, I bought Dolly's next album release, "Heart Breaker," as a birthday present for my dad.  This album included the song, "Baby I'm Burning," which also ended up crossing over from the country chart to the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and peaked at #15 on the Bilboard Dance Club Songs chart.  The song was also used later, as the theme song of Dolly's 1987-1988 variety show on ABC, "Dolly."

Because the song had a "disco beat" to it, it was released as a 12" single (on pink vinyl!) with an extended dance version, and distributed to DJs and dance clubs.  I was later able to acquire a copy of this version for myself.

I became a fan of Dolly's, and began purchasing my own copies of her records and CDs.  When the movie "9 to 5" was released in 1980, I went to see the film twice, I purchased the "single" record of the film's title song (written by Dolly), the film's soundtrack album, and the "novelization" of the film in paperback.

The "single" record came in a special "picture sleeve."

The reverse side of the sleeve had the same artwork as the cover for the corresponding Dolly Parton album, "9 to 5 and Odd Jobs."  The song "9 to 5" ended up in the #1 spot on both the country and pop charts, and earned Dolly three Grammy nominations (and two wins), as well as an Academy Award nomination for "Best Original Song."

 The film's soundtrack album:

The novelized version of the film:

I didn't attend any concerts in my childhood, and wasn't really aware of Dolly performing anywhere near me until 1989.  She was going to be appearing at the Universal Amphitheater (at Universal Studios) for two nights, and I decided I wanted to go see her in person.  This was only the second concert that I had ever attended.

I have every single ticket for every single concert and play that I have ever attended, but of course, I can't find my ticket for this particular concert!  When I do find it, I will add it here.

This is a square pinback button that I purchased at the concert.

That night, Kenny Rogers came out on stage and surprised Dolly, right at the moment when she was about to sing their 1983 #1 hit duet (on both the country and pop charts), "Islands In The Stream," with her backup singer.  My dad had gone to see her the night before, but Kenny Rogers did not appear at that performance, and she ended up just singing the song with her backup singer.  I felt fortunate that I was able to see them perform the song together, because it is one of my top three favorite Dolly Parton songs.

I know that I cut out and saved The Los Angeles Times' review of Dolly's concert at the Universal Amphitheater, but I can't find that either.....it's probably with my ticket stub!  I will also add that at a later date.

A few years passed.  I can't remember if Dolly returned to perform in my area during those years, but in 1992, I heard that she was going to be performing at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas.  A friend and I decided to drive to Vegas to see her in concert.

 

All of the Las Vegas "visitors guides" had ads for Dolly's show at the Mirage.

One of my tickets:

We ended up seeing her two nights in a row and on the second night, we were upgraded to seats at a table that was literally touching the stage.  And because of our location, Dolly ended up speaking to me from the stage!  It was quite a moment and at that time, I figured that it could NEVER be topped......

I'm telling you, we were CLOSE!  Again, our table was touching the stage!

At this point in the concert, she sang a medley of non-Dolly songs.  Her backup singers helped her quickly get into "50s" attire for her to play the saxophone.  She was either playing "Great Balls of Fire" or "Hound Dog," here.  (She didn't play"Yakety Sax" that night, but she did play it at the famous five-day outdoor Glastonbury Festival, in 2014.)

She did another "quick-change" into this Madonna-inspired brassiere, when she covered the song, "Like A Virgin," in her medley of other artists' hits.

Incidentally, the cone bra that inspired Dolly's wardrobe was actually only seen briefly in Madonna's "Vogue" video.  The smaller pink cone brassiere/corset that most people associate with Madonna, was worn shortly after that in her live concert appearances.

 Dolly taking a bow at the end of the show:

Another couple of years passed, and I found out that Dolly was going to be at Brentano's Bookstore at South Coast Plaza, in Costa Mesa.....and on my birthday!  My friends asked me what I wanted to do on my birthday, and I told them I wanted to go stand in line for however long it takes, in order to meet Dolly.  Hey, it's better than standing in line for 3 hours to meet Anna and Elsa at Disneyland......Dolly was a real person!

Brentano's was featuring Dolly's new autobiography on the cover of their "Holiday Gift Catalog."  Oh, and the Pope had also written a book that year, but I don't think he was appearing at Brentano's.

This was the paper they handed out to everyone standing in line.  What....no cameras?  Oh, man!  And this was before smart phones.  I wonder how they would control that today?

One of the two books she was signing was her new autobiography, "Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business."

The second book available was her children's book, "Coat of Many Colors," which was based on her song by the same name.

This is how she was signing her name that day, with just her first name.

Without telling me, my friends decided to tell Dolly that it was my birthday, hoping that she might write something special in my book.  Dolly seemed surprised and asked me if I had really come down there to stand in line on my birthday, just to meet her.  When I said yes, she proceeded to sing "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" to me!!!!  Okay, so I guess Dolly talking to me from the stage in Vegas COULD be topped!

While we were standing in line, we found out that Dolly was going to be at the Borders store in Westwood, the following day.  I wouldn't have felt a need to go, except that we also found out that since Borders sold both books and CDs, Dolly was also going to be signing her latest CD.  I also wanted to get another copy of her autobiography signed, to give to my dad for Christmas. So, I decided to go to her signing in Westwood, too.

 
This is the paper they were handing out at Borders.

So I bought the new CD, and another copy of her autobiography to give to my dad, but on this second day, Dolly was signing her first and last name on the items.  I wonder why she changed from one day to he next?  Maybe it was because there were fewer people in line at the Borders signing?  That second signing took place in the middle of the day on a Monday, so I'm sure many people couldn't get away from work.  I just happened to have that day off, otherwise I would not have been able to go.

Since she was signing two "books" and one CD, I decided to also have her sign her "audio" version of her book.  They weren't selling that at Borders, but I had already purchased it elsewhere and unlike Brentano's, they had no problem with items that were not purchased in their store.....as long as they were the brand-new books and CD that were currently being promoted.

The audiobook is "read by the author," and recorded on four cassette tapes.

And this was her new CD, "Heartsongs Live From Home."

When I got up to the table where Dolly was signing, she did a double take.  She actually remembered me from the day before!  She then sang the line, "♫ ♪ Happy day after your birthday, to you........ ♫ ♪ "  She stopped there without singing the whole song this time.  But I was completely amazed that out of the hundreds of people she must have seen the day before, that she would actually remember me!

Over the years that followed, Dolly performed in my area multiple times.  By then it was becoming increasingly more difficult (and costly) to get close-up seats for concerts.  The system had changed.  Everyone could just go on their own computers and buy their own tickets, the very moment they went on sale.  And many ticket sellers were holding onto to the close-up seats, in order to charge exorbitant prices for them.  I decided that these previous concert experiences and in-person meetings really could not be topped, so I never went to see her in concert again.  However, I remained a lifelong fan and continued to buy her music, and watch her interviews, specials and movies on TV, as well as her theatrical films.

For my birthday in 1993, my dad gave me this limited edition Bradford Exchange plate.

Thirty years later (in 2023), my brother gave me this "Dolly Parton" Funko POP! figure, for my birthday.

There were other "Dolly" figures in the series, but the outfit on this one is based on the outfit Dolly wore when she was touring in 1977.  It's also very similar to the one she was wearing on the cover of her 1977 album, "Here You Come Again."

And here are a few magazines that I collected over the years, which featured Dolly on the cover.

People Weekly - 1977:

Even though I was far too young to purchase this particular magazine when it first appeared on newsstands, I found it (and the magazine, above) a couple decades later at a local used bookstore.

Playboy - 1978.

People Weekly - 1981:

The Saturday Evening Post - 1989:

Vanity Fair - 1991:  (This issue has some beautiful photos of Dolly posing with American servicemen, taken by renowned photographer, Annie Liebovitz.)

TV Guide - 1993:

My grandmother, my mom, and my aunt subscribed to various magazines in the 1990s, and knowing that I was a fan, they would save any issues with Dolly on the cover.  By the way, none of the following magazines are still in print today.

Ladies Home Journal - 1994

Ladies Home Journal - 1995:

McCall's - 1996:

First for Women - 1993:

First for Women - 1994:

Luxury Lifestyles - 1993:

Redbook - 1989:

Two years ago today, I saw this meme on the internet.

Whoever created that meme has had their wish come true (at least in California).  California State Senate Bill 931 was passed, declaring today, "Dolly Parton Day," in honor of her music, philanthropy, and children's literacy legacy.

Rest in peace, Dolly.  You will truly be missed.