April 15: Five Classic Live Tracks Released For 50th Anniversary
Available for the first time in half a century, RCA Records last week released the first-ever digital version of 1975's In Concert: With Host Charley Pride for its 50th anniversary featuring five live Dolly performances from a television special with Pride, Chet Atkins, Ronnie Milsap, Jerry Reed, and Gary Stewart. Dolly contributes her second version of "Jolene" to be nominated for a Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal (streaming from YouTube in the media player above or by clicking here), "Love Is Like A Butterfly" here, "Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms" as a duet with Milsap here, "Coat Of Many Colors" here and "The Bargain Store" here. Order your downloads of the songs from Amazon here. Also reissued recently are a digital version of Dolly's Here I Am biography to Amazon Video here, sister Rachel Dennison's 1984 major label debut Light Up The Night from Columbia Records here, and late brother Floyd Parton's The Songwriter/The Singer on family label Owepar here featuring his solo versions of "Foolin' Around," "Rockin' Years," and "Waltz Me To Heaven."
Hall Of Fame Exhibit, Companion Book Coming This Summer The Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville announced last week a new exhibit, "Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker," which opens May 20 and continues for a 16-month engagement through September 2026. In a statement, Dolly said: "Being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame was one of the greatest moments of my life, and being able to have a personal exhibit for the fans that put me there is a very big deal to me. This seeker is very proud and honored, and I hope you enjoy my journey. I will always love you." The exhibit, which will feature an 80-page companion paperback book from the University of Illinois Press on behalf of the Country Music Foundation Press and is available for preorder here. will focus on the turning points in her life and career with many artifacts and costumes. Access is included in Museum admission but a limited number of timed tickets for the exhibit are available each day, so advance reservations are encouraged. Check out an interview with Dolly about the exhibit from The Tennesseanhere.
Dolly's Next Coffee Table Memoir Coming Nov. 11 Penguin Books has announced that the third and final installment in Dolly's trilogy of coffee table memoirs, Star Of The Show: My Life On Stage, will hit shelves Nov. 11 from its Ten Speed Press imprint. The book, available for pre-order from Amazon here, is slated at 336 pages and will also feature a Kindle version and Audible Audio Book available for pre-order here.
Joleans Jeans Debut At Good American Dolly earlier this month unveiled a new line of luxury jeans and accessory clothing called Joleans through Kim Kardashian's Good American clothing line. Check them out here.
'Harpers Bazaar' Talks Dolly Style Dolly chats about her style with the UK version of Harpers Bazaarhere.
Florida Pirate's Voyage Opens June 1 The Panama City, Fla., location of Dolly's Pirate's Voyage dinner theater has announced a June 1 opening date. Read more from The News Heraldhere.
'Here You Come Again' Heads Down Under The Dolly jukebox musical Here You Come Again has announced an Australian tour starting in July which follows a British tour and limited U.S. tour. Learn more from Aussie Theatrehere.
In Memoriam: 'Dolly' Producer/Director Don Mischer Don Mischer, legendary live musical television producer and director including several episodes of Dolly's 1987-88 ABC variety series, died last week at age 85. In addition to producing, he directed eight episodes of the series including the premiere show, episodes five and six, and each of the special holiday or on-location episodes regarded as the best from the season: New Orleans, Nashville, Hawaii, Christmas, and Thanksgiving at Dollywood. His obituary is available at The Hollywood Reporterhere.
Dollywood Readies Flower & Food Festival Dollywood opens its Flower & Food Festival Friday with more than 1 million blooms, fresh tastes of spring, and new entertainment offerings through June 8. In its sixth year, the festival dresses the park in elaborate floral installations including an upside-down butterfly umbrella, several animals, and a depiction of Dolly's mother sewing her Coat of Many Colors. In a statement, Dolly said: "If there's one thing I know about the Smokies, it's that God does some of his best handiwork this time of year. It's like the mountains come back to life in the spring with all of His beautiful creations blooming around us. Our hosts here at Dollywood put so much effort into making the park as beautiful as the natural beauty you see throughout the hills around us. You know we won the Golden Ticket Award last year for the Most Beautiful Park in the world, and when you come experience the Smoky Mountains this time of year, I think you can understand why we won it!" The festival tasting pass features the Salad of Many Colors, loaded street fries, pesto caprese panini, Smoky Mountain grilled corn, blueberry pie milkshake, and wild berry cream cheese funnel cake. The formerly summer-festival-only Imagination Playhouse returns April 19 as a permanent fixture with Dolly's musical adaptations of Imagination Library books and a 40th anniversary season retrospective "Play On" opens May 3 with excerpts from various entertainment shows at the park throughout its history. The bio-musical "From The Heart: The Life & Music Of Dolly Parton" continues through June 6 and Heidi Parton's Kin & Friends Show also continues. The Umbrella Sky returns above Showstreet, and entertainers Lauren Jelencovich (April 18-May 18), Wilder Flower (May 19-June 1), and Robinella (June 2-8) will perform.
U.S., U.K., Aussie Chart Updates Dolly remains the queen of the British country compilation albums chart as her Very Best Of Dolly Parton Vol. 1 remains at No. 1 in its amazing 354th week on the tally. Her Diamonds & Rhinestones, The Greatest Hits Collection slips three to No. 8, Dolly Parton & Family: Smoky Mountain DNA -- Family, Faith & Fables gains two to No. 15, and Original Album Series by Emmylou Harris featuring Dolly appearances falls back out of the top 20, down from No. 16, while The Complete Trio Collection Deluxe re-enters the top 20 at No. 20. Elsewhere on the U.K. charts, Sabrina Carpenter's Short & Sweet Deluxe Edition, with its Dolly duet, gains two to No. 2 pop, three to No. 7 Scottish albums, two to No. 9 album sales, 2 to No. 8 physical album sales, and 17 to No. 28 downloads, remaining steady at No. 1 streaming albums. Post Malone's F 1 Trillion, with its Dolly duet, falls off the top 100 downloads, down from No. 58, and loses one to No. 3 country albums. Beyonce's Cowboy Carter, with its Dolly appearances, remains steady at No. 7 British country albums and No. 7 Americana albums.
Down Under, Carpenter holds steady at No. 2 pop albums, Malone gains one to No. 7 Australian country albums, Beyonce loses two to No. 34 country albums, and The Wiggles' Wiggle Up, Giddy Up, with two Dolly duets and two Dolly covers, gains four to No. 35 country albums.
Back in the U.S., the April 12 Billboard numbers show Carpenter down one to No. 7 pop albums, up one to No. 6 sales, down two to No. 9 streaming, down one to No. 6 Canadian albums, and up one to No. 7 current albums. Malone loses seven to No. 27 pop albums and three to No. 25 streaming albums, gaining one to No. 22 Canadian albums and remaining steady at No. 3 country albums. Beyonce loses two to No. 38 country albums and three to No. 16 Americana albums.
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