Way, WAY back in 1980, the first concert I ever saw was Dolly Parton. It was a stifling hot August night at the Iowa State Fair. Didn’t matter. I was in awe of that woman. I begged, groveled and pleaded with my dad to take me to that concert. He finally relented – but I had make a deal with him. If he took me to watch Dolly in concert, he did not have to take me to see “9 To 5” anymore. (I had seen the movie five times by that point and could recite it word for word. Uh, I still can.)
I have always had a love affair with Dolly. (And to a lesser degree Olivia Newton-John.) I think my dad bought me those albums when I was little. If it was cool enough for my dad, it was cool enough for me.
Through the years, I’ve seen Dolly in concert five times. She’s just as perky and animated as she was when I was 10 years old. She’s glittery, sparkly and looks like a big drag queen come to life. (Lord knows I’ve seen enough Dolly drag queens to last me a lifetime.)
My love affair with Dolly continues this month. At the end of the month, I’m going to see her new Broadway show “9 To 5: The Musical” – based on the iconic flick. The week after, I’m traipsing off to her theme park Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, TN. I’ve been talking about going for years and finally found a buddy who was willing to go. It’s going to be the trip of a lifetime.
I’m going to immerse myself in all things Dolly for two weeks in a row. Believe me, it’s been a long time coming. Oddly enough, I was watching “60 Minutes” last night – which never happens. And there she was being profiled by Morley Safer. I think it was a sign. Hang on, Dolly … I’ll be in your neck of the woods shortly, sister!