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Dolly Parton: A Pure and Simple Voice in Country Music

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We’ve all had that one T-Shirt or pair of shoes that we just can’t do away with! No matter how dated they become, the comfort and familiarity overshadows any wear and tear. For me it was an old radio station shirt. No matter how many times I wore it, got paint on it, food on it, ripped it…it was mine and made me feel good!   Tossing it was not an option!

Dolly Parton is the comfort food of Country Music. Warm. Familiar. Hearing the voice takes you back in your life when things were simple and less convoluted! When you bought your music in a record store and not online or through a streaming app, listening on a device that crackled a bit and didn’t fit in a sleeve on your upper arm while you biked or ran.

And give the 8 time Grammy award winner credit…Even though she just turned 70 earlier this year, she continues to redefine herself in Country Music. Her new tour, Dolly: Pure and Simple is her biggest one in over 25 years! With a combination of hit songs and material not heard live in decades, its sure to have something for the fans that have made that unique voice part of their fiber.   It is centered around a recent double-disc release of the same name.

The story of Dolly is a well-known one.   Born in Sevier County, Tennessee, she lived in a one room cabin and was self-described as “dirt poor”… The church where her Grandfather was Pastor was her first stage around the age that most kids are picking up their first video game controller. Several brothers and sisters packed in with the young girl of the same name.   A name she would try to make by moving to Nashville in 1964 at the age of 18 and began songwriting and performing with Porter Wagoner. That’s when the hits started coming.   26 of went to #1 on the Country charts!

These days, Dolly is riding quite a wave. In addition to this much anticipated tour…her recent TV Movie, “Coat of Many Colors” was a smash. With almost 16 million viewers, it was the most watched movie on Network TV in more than 3 years.   With it just released on DVD, Dolly and her story are being exposed to a whole new generation of fans and followers.

Recently, she just renewed her vows with her husband of 50 years, Carl Thomas Dean!   The seldom seen “Mr. Parton” runs an asphalt paving business in Nashville and rarely accompanies his famous spouse.   You won’t see Dean in Cleveland when she performs as her husband has surprisingly only seen a handful of her performances. Still it’s hard to argue with the recipe. Staying out of the public eye has worked for 5 decades for this celebrity and her husband.

A trip to Central Tennessee tells the story of Dolly.   It’s hard to drive around this beautiful section of our country without seeing her handprint on everything man made, a perfect complement to natural beauty of the neighboring Smoky Mountain National Park.   She truly is the area’s native daughter and continues to give back to the region that defines her.

Like those mountains, Dolly is a National Treasure!   When she performs at the Hard Rock Rocksino this month, it’s a great opportunity for fans and Country Music outsiders alike to witness the staying power of a musical legend.   With all the Politicians dominating our TVs, Radios and Social Media Feeds…its nice to see someone that is real and has never let the “game” take over who they are and how they act. Dolly fits that role like a glove…

Or… a favorite T Shirt.

Dolly Parton will be performing at the Hard Rock Rocksino at Northfield Park on Friday, June 10th. Showtime is 8:00pm. Tickets are on sale now at the HRR box office, Ticketmaster outlets, online at ticketmaster.com and livenation.com and by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

By Steve Brown

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