www.dollymania.net                News                          April 1999

April 29: Be on the look-out for classic Dolly reissues coming soon! That's the word from Buddha Records, a new division of BMG which launched its first releases (some classic tunes by Frank Sinatra) on Tuesday. Buddah was recently created by BMG for the sole purpose of reissuing albums from its massive catalog, which includes 98 years of recordings on RCA, Victor, Arista and other labels in the BMG family.

* I recently gained access to several wonderful articles the Knoxville News-Sentinel published in conjunction with Dollywood's opening weekend festivities. Click on each link to read: Career in high gear this year; WSEV blazed a trail of tales; Gospel side of Dolly; Dollywood launches new season Roller coaster debuts, tree house to follow.

* * * * *

April 26: On TNN's "Opry Backstage," it was announced that Hank Locklin's upcoming CD, Hank Locklin and Friends, will feature Dolly singing harmony on his classic "Send Me The Pillow That You Dream On," which she had recorded herself on the 1983 album Burlap and Satin.

* This is the art for Dolly's new gospel CD, Precious Memories. To order, call Dollywood at (423) 428-9445.

* * * * *

April 24: New Trio article from CBS.com added to Trio page!

* * * * *

April 23: After seeing the differences in the Trio and Neil Young versions of "After the Goldrush," a friend e-mailed me to remind me there are also differences in Dolly's version on Treasures. Dolly: "Well I dreamed I saw the knights in armor coming, saying something about a king." Trio (and original): "Well I dreamed I saw the knights in armor coming, saying something about a queen." Dolly: "Look at mother nature on the run, in the 21st century." Trio: "Look at mother nature on the run, in the 20th century." Dolly (and original): "With the full moon in my eyes." Trio: "With the full moon in my eye." Dolly: "There was laughing, crying and colors flying all around the chosen one." Trio (and original): "There were children crying and colors flying all around the chosen ones." Dolly said in her Treasures television special that she had no idea what the song meant, and neither did Neil Young, but that to her it suggested the Second Coming or an alien invasion. Thanks Greg!


* * * * *

April 21: Justin reports that Dolly's concerts last weekend at Dollywood were "wonderful." The songs she performed were the following: High and Mighty, The Seeker, Precious Memories, In The Sweet By and By, Softly & Tenderly, Put A Little Love In Your Heart, Coat of Many Colors, When Jesus Comes Calling For Me, Light Of A Clear Blue Morning, Eagle When She Flies, Church In The Wildwood, Old Time Religion, I Will Always Love You, Medley (Power In The Blood, When The Role Is Called Up Yonder).

* Ever wonder what was different in the Trio's version of "After the Goldrush" and Neil Young's original? Trio: "Look at Mother Nature on the run in the 20th century." Original: "Look at Mother Nature on the run in the 1970s." Trio: "There was a band playin' in my head, and I felt like I could cry." Original: "There was a band playin' in my head, and I felt like getting high."

* * * * *

April 20: Dolly's gospel CD, Precious Memories, was released last weekend at the 14th grand opening of Dollywood, where it was sold exclusively. Already, there are several copies on auction at ebay. The track listing is reportedly: 1. Precious Memories, 2. Power in the Blood, 3. In the Sweet Bye and Bye, 4. Church in the Wildwood, 5. Keep on the Firing Line, 6. Amazing Grace, 7. Old Time Religion, 8. Softly and Tenderly, 9. Farther Along, 10. What a Friend We Have in Jesus, 11. In The Garden, 12. When the Roll is Called Up Yonder.

* * * * *

April 17: In a national survey released this week, Dolly was named the fifth most popular female singer of the century! Reuters reported Friday that the top vote getters were, for females: Barbara Streisand, 14 percent; Celine Dion, 8.6 percent; Whitney Houston, 7.5 percent; Reba McEntire, 4.5 percent; Dolly, 3.5 percent; Shania Twain, 3.2 percent; Ella Fitzgerald, 2.8 percent; Aretha Franklin and Maria Carey, 2.5 percent each; and Loretta Lynn, 2.4 percent.

* * * * *

April 15: Porter and Dolly are featured in the current issue of Country Weekly. For the story, click here.

* * * * *

April 14: The video is here! "After the Goldrush" by the Trio premiered on Great American Country yesterday. It also premieres today on CMT.

* This report comes from Corey, thanks: The Margo O'Donnell cd, The Highway Of My Life, contains eight tunes penned by Dolly: Better Part Of Life, Bet Your Sweet Love (unrecorded by Dolly to my knowledge), Silver Sandals (lead vocals by Margo and Dolly's uncle, Bill Owens), Letters To Heaven (from Goldband years and then Joshua), Mine, Mama Say A Special Prayer For Me (lead vocals by Margo and Dolly's Aunt, Dorothy Jo Owens), Wrong Direction Home (lead vocals by Margo, Dolly & Maura O'Connell), It Ain't Fair, God's Coloring Book (lead vocals by Margo & Dolly). This is Margo's 30th Anniversary Recording. Margo has special personal thank yous from Country Music Legends Dolly Parton, Liz Anderson (Lynn's mama), and performs a sacred song penned by Loretta Lynn ("The Third Man"). This album is produced by Richie Owens (Dolly's cousin and producer of Dolly's "Hungry Again") and executive producer is Dolly's uncle, Bill Owens.

* * * * *

April 12: The track listing for the new Porter & Dolly CD, Best of the Best: Porter and Dolly, has been released, but it contains songs which I believe have all previously been released on CD: 1.Holding On To Nothin' , 2. Just Between You And Me, 3. Daddy Was An Old Time Preacher Man, 4. Just Someone I Used To Know, 5. Lost Forever In Your Kiss, 6. Please Don't Stop Loving Me, 7. We'll Get Ahead Someday, 8. The Last Thing On My Mind , 9. Tomorrow Is Forever, 10. Forty Miles From Poplar Bluff. Released on King Records. To order it, click here.

* * * * *

April 8: TNN's "Century of Country: A Night at the Opry," the second installment of the 13-part series on the history of country music, last night showed several great clips of Dolly. At the show's opening, a few seconds of her singing before going on the Opry were shown. Subsequent Opry clips included her and Porter's 1967 "The Last Thing on My Mind," a spectacular 1969 "Blue Ridge Mountain Boy," and three clips from her 1995 performance: introducing Vince Gill on the Opry, entering the Opry House from her bus and her "I Will Always Love You" duet with Gill, which was used to close the episode.

* * * * *

April 7: CDIreland has made Dolly's Margo O'Donnell collaboration, Highway of My Life its CD of the week at CDIreland!

* * * * *

April 4: On Friday, the Trio appeared on "Entertainment Tonight." The narrator noted, "Their voices blended together are like a slice of heaven." A few-second clip from their video for "After the Goldrush" was shown with the three standing, Dolly in front, in the synagogue singing. A couple of behind-the-scenes shots of them filming the video were also shown. Emmylou noted that she always loved the song, written and originally recorded by Neil Young, but has never understood its meaning.

* * * * *

April 3: Did you catch Dolly's "Precious Memories" special on TNN? If you didn't, you can read my recap here. Country.com even posted an updated version of its story on the special Thursday on the web site; click here to read.

* Did you know there's a new version of "9 to 5"? Lisa Stone cut a cover of Dolly's megahit on the soundtrack to the film "Office Space," released in February. To order it, click here.

* * * * *

April 1: Dolly the famous cloned Scottish sheep named after Dolly Parton gave birth Wednesday to triplets, two males and one female. She previously had given birth to one sheep, named Bonnie.

* Did you catch the brief glimpse of Dolly on TNN's "Century of Country" last night? They showed a few seconds of her and Bill Monroe singing "Mule Skinner Blues" for a special from the late '70s during the show's segment on that song's composer, Jimmie Rogers.

* * * * *