Dolly Single Available At I-Tunes
Several readers alerted me that Apple's I-Tunes on Tuesday began offering Dolly's cover of John Lennon's classic "Imagine" for download as a "pre-release track" in advance of the Oct. 11 dropping of her new CD, Those Were The Days. As was first reported here, the song has been selected to replace "Where Do The Children Play" as the disc's first single, likely to hit radio in November. Thanks!

Win An Autographed Butterfly Guitar!
Jane Magazine, Sugar Hill Records and Daisy Rock Guitars are giving away five autographed copies of Those Were The Days and one autographed Daisy Rock "fantasy" guitar in the shape of a butterfly, it was announced this week. Sugar Hill has posted an e-card for the promotion here (although their Web site was experiencing problems Tuesday and the card was not available at that time). Entries will be accepted here for a few days only. There is a limit of one entry per person, and a winner is expected to be drawn next Monday.

Paisley Song Most Added
It was revealed Tuesday that "When I Get Where I'm Going," Brad Paisley's new single with Dolly from his CD, Time Well Wasted, was the most added song at country radio last week, meaning more stations started playing it than any other song shipped to them that week. The news should translate into the tune debuting quite high on the country singles chart, although currently there apparently aren't any plans for a video. The song is the album's second single, following up Paisley's No. 4 hit "Alcohol."

'Viva' Moves Up Bluegrass Charts
Dolly's cover of "Viva Las Vegas" with The Grascals enters the top 10 of the bluegrass singles chart by inching up one notch to No. 10 for October, Bluegrass Unlimited announced Tuesday. The album which contains the song, The Grascals, also gains one to No. 2 on the magazine's bluegrass albums tally for the month.

They Can Thank Dolly For Honor
Gov. Phil Bredesen (D-Tenn.) was honored Tuesday in Washington, D.C., for his involvement in Dolly's national literacy program. Reading Is Fundamental, Inc., saluted him as one of five honorees for children's literacy work in its inaugural "Gift Of Reading" Awards ceremony. Bredesen created the Governor's Books From Birth Foundation, which uses $2 million in state funds to match monies raised from local sponsors in Tennessee counties supporting Dolly's Imagination Library. The program provides one free, hardcover, age-appropriate book each month to every child from birth to age 5 whose parents sign up in more than 500 communities nationwide across 41 states and territories. It distributes more than 2.5 million books a year. Thanks to his partnership, every county in Tennessee is expected to be participating in the program before year's end. In related news, according to a story posted Tuesday night on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Web site, Robin Ferst Howser, who created the Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy in Georgia to bring Dolly's Imagination Library there, will be honored Thursday in New York by Traditional Home magazine as one of six women featured for their outstanding service in the November issue of the publication. In 1999, she was among the first to sign on for Dolly's library when it expanded outside of Tennessee, and thanks to her efforts, today 27 counties across Georgia participate in the program. Read more about her here.

Gretchen Talks Of Dolly
I'm told Dolly gets a mention in Gretchen Wilson's new CD, All Jacked Up, which was released Tuesday. On the track "California Girls," she comments that she doesn't see anything wrong with plastic surgery and that Dolly (who readily admits the many times she's gone "under the knife") has never looked better to her. Thanks, David!

More Pics Posted
Four more photo galleries by your webmaster from the Dollywood National Music And Harvest Celebration kick-off last weekend have been posted in that section of the site here. Three of them document her first of four benefit concerts for the Dollywood Foundation that weekend, while the fourth showcases guest artists Rhonda Vincent and The Rage. Galleries from Dollymania photographer Harrell Gabehart, reader-submitted photos and a transcript of Dolly's remarks and Q&A at the media event will all be coming throughout the week.

Sept. 27:
More Photos Posted
The next batch of shots from Dollywood's National Music And Harvest Celebration kick-off from the past weekend have been posted in that section of the site here. They focus primarily on Dolly's Friday media event appearance. Look for more Dollymania photos in coming days, and then be on watch for some amazing reader-submitted pictures later in the week. Thanks to those who have sent theirs in already! Anyone else is welcome to send some as well. E-mail them here!

King Interview Scheduled This Week
Officials at CNN confirm talk show host Larry King taped an interview with Dolly last week which is currently scheduled to air on his program at 9 p.m. Eastern on Friday. However, remember that his show reacts immediately to news developments, which often results in scheduled programs being delayed. Dolly was slated to appear on his program in April during the 20th anniversary opening weekend of Dollywood, but the Terri Schiavo case bumped her scheduled interview at that time and a taped interview with Reba McEntire that same week. Luckily, since the interview has already been filmed, it almost certainly would air at a later date if it were to be postponed due to breaking news. She most recently appeared on the program in July 2003 in what proved to be one of the most in-depth and comprehensive interviews she has given in recent years. Image courtesy CNN. Used with permission

Auctions Off To Slow Start
Ticketmaster's auction for Dolly's Denver show started Monday morning, but as of Monday night there were no bids registered. However, officials with the ticket vendor confirmed Monday that this particular auction is NOT for meet-and-greet passes. Instead, it is just for first or second row seats and an autographed poster only. It also is a for-profit auction instead of benefiting a charity. Bids will be accepted here through 5 p.m. Mountain time next Monday. Its other current auction, for two meet-and-greet passes for Friday's Los Angeles show, stood at $175 per ticket, or $350 for the pair, as of Monday night. I would expect the price to jump much higher on Tuesday as it nears its 4 p.m. Pacific time end. That one's proceeds benefit the Dollywood Foundation and its Imagination Library literacy program. Bid on it here.

Praising Jones Duet
Nashville's The Tennessean on Monday reviewed George Jones's new CD, Hits I Missed . . . And One I Didn't, giving it three stars and singling out "The Blues Man" with Dolly for her "thrilling harmonies" and how the song's lyrics mirror Jones's real life struggles. Read the full review here.

'Islands' On Another List
I'm told Dolly shows up in the October issue of Blender magazine, which offers a countdown of the "Top 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born!" -- although the list begins in 1980, and many of its readers are older than 25! While it is dominated by rap and hip hop, a few country artists make the list, including Johnny Cash at No. 43 with "Hurt," Rosanne Cash at No. 368 with "Seven Year Ache" and Loretta Lynn with Jack While on "Portland, Oregon" at No. 381. Dolly comes in at No. 262 with Kenny Rogers for their 1983 duet "Islands In The Stream," about which the editors note: "Penned by the Bee Gees, sung by two country legends, it's almost not fair." For some comparison, other songs close to their spot on the chart include Bruce Springsteen's "Born In The USA" at No. 252, Prince's "Kiss" at No. 259 and Emenim's "Stan" at No. 263. Thanks, Al!

Sept. 26:
Dollywood Welcomes Dolly
Dolly was spectacular at Dollywood over the weekend for the kick-off of the new National Music And Harvest Celebration, which features dozens of nationally-known performers from the gospel, country, bluegrass and Americana genres through Oct. 29. She thrilled the crowds with her performances, took questions from the press and revealed a few surprises, too, such as a change in her new CD's first single and what she's doing to help the hurricane victims. Start your Dollymania coverage here, with additional materials to be posted throughout the week.

Tour Adds Show, Two Auctions
According to Sugar Hill Records' Web site, a new date has been added to "The Vintage Tour." Dolly is now scheduled to play Dec. 15 in Charlotte, N.C., at the Bobcats Arena the night before her re-scheduled show at House of Blues Myrtle Beach. No ticket information is available yet for the Charlotte show.

Jones Disc Does Well On Charts
Likely thanks in part to publicity surrounding its lead single, a duet with Dolly on "The Blues Man," George Jones's new CD, Hits I Missed . . . And One I Didn't, earns a respectable No. 13 debut on the Oct. 1 country albums chart, Billboard revealed Thursday. The album -- which also debuts at No. 79 pop, No. 80 comprehensive, No. 6 independent labels albums, No. 10 Internet sales and No. 18 Canadian country albums -- enters the charts 50 years to the week from his chart debut, when "Why Baby Why" first appeared on the country singles chart, and it gives him the longest span of any artist for the country albums chart, since he was also on the list the first time that chart was published nearly 42 years ago. Elsewhere on the chart, Brad Paisley's Time Well Wasted, with Dolly singing on "When I Get Where I'm Going" and joking around on "Cornography," loses three spots to come in at No. 3 country in its fifth week and also drops 16 spaces to No. 36 pop and comprehensive. In Canada, the CD inches down one to No. 6 country and falls 22 to No. 70 pop. The bluegrass albums chart, which the previous week had two Dolly-related projects on the list, was not updated online this week. The Very Best of Emmylou Harris: Heartaches and Highways, featuring one Trio track, slips nine notches to No. 58 on the country albums chart in its eighth week. On sales of 118,000 copies, Trisha Year wood's Jasper County debuts at No. 1 country and No. 4 pop, followed by Rascal Flatts' Feels Like Today, which remains steady at No. 2 country but falls seven to No. 25 pop in its 51st week. The American Idol finalists' cover of the former Dolly and Julio Iglesias duet "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" remains steady at No. 18 on the pop singles sales chart in its 23rd week.

Duet Falls Overseas
The former five-week No. 1 of "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" by Dolly and Roy Rivers drops another 17 spots to No. 57 on the new European CMA country singles chart, it was announced over the weekend. The tune falls back out of the top 20 country airplay singles chart in Italy, down from No. 14 the previous week. Get the CD featuring the track here.

Paisley Drops On Aussie Tally
After just four weeks on the chart Down Under, Brad Paisley's Time Well Wasted, with Dolly on two tracks, falls out of the top 20 country albums tally in Australia, down from No. 18 last week, it was announced Sunday.

Dolly Helps Hurricane Fund-Raiser
Although she won't be there in person, I'm told that Dolly is scheduled to offer a video appearance at a concert in Knoxville, Tenn., later this week to benefit hurricane relief efforts of the American Red Cross. Knoxville Unites, to be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Chilhowee Hills Baptist Church, will be hosted by Mark Lowry and feature several gospel groups from the area. Videotaped messages will be presented by Charlie Chase, Louise Mandrell and Dolly.

Disc Gets High Marks
I'm told Sony BMG's compilation The Essential Dolly Parton, from its RCA/Legacy imprints, shows up in the September issue of Details magazine, earning 4.5 out of 5 stars. Thanks, Dan!

Cover Comes Out Tuesday
Don't forget that Bettye LaVette's new CD, I've Got My Own Hell To Raise, hits stores Tuesday. The disc, which is garnering rave reviews from the critics, features the R&B legend offering Muscle Sholes-inspired covers of several female songwriters' compositions, including Dolly's "Little Sparrow." Get your copy here.

Sept. 22:
Second La. Show Added, Fayetteville Scrapped
Officials at the Cypress Bayou Casino in Charenton, La., confirm Dolly has added a second date at their south Louisiana establishment, replacing her cancelled New Orleans show with one at the casino. She is now expected to play there on both Dec. 9 and 10, according to the venue.

Paper: Dolly Tune In 10 Best
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution over the weekend released its list of the top 100 "Best Songs Of The South," and, of course, there's a Dolly number on it. Her immortal "Coat Of Many Colors" was named the 10th best song of the South. About it, the reviewers wrote: "A poignant tale of Parton's dirt-poor but love-rich upbringing in the East Tennessee mountains. It would have sounded weepy coming from anyone else, but Parton turns sadness into sublime beauty." Read the full list by visiting that section of the paper here and clicking on the "Songs Of The South" link just below the introductory paragraph. The top 10 of the 100 songs selected were as follow:

Dollywood Media Event Announced
Dollywood has unveiled its entertainment schedule for the week, publicly announcing the media event with Dolly for the Celebrity Theatre at 2 p.m. Friday to kick-off the National Music & Harvest Celebration. It will be open to the public, but seating will be limited. Also, Rhonda Vincent on Tuesday posted on her message board notice that she will also be performing with Dolly at the event and hinted that she hopes to have a "special guest" drop by during her additional performances at the park's outdoor Dollywood Festival Amphitheatre at 3:45 and 5:45 p.m. Friday. Read her comments here. As was reported here nearly a week ago, Dolly has scheduled two parades through the park grounds (12:15 p.m. Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday) in addition to her sold out benefit concerts at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. those two days (call 1-800-Dollywood to see if any last-minute tickets become available). Thanks, Bridget and Jeremy!

Paisley Releasing Dolly Cut As Single
Cable network Great American County announced on its Web news Monday that Brad Paisley has selected his emotional track with Dolly, "When I Get Where I'm Going," as the second single from his new disc, Time Well Wasted.

See Dolly Video
CMT.com this week added the video for Dolly's duet with George Jones, "The Blues Man" from his CD Hits I Missed . . . And One I Didn't, to its online streaming multimedia offerings. Visit their Dolly page here to access the video. Thanks, Christian!

Label Adds 'Days' Page
Sugar Hill Records this week added a page to its Web site to start promoting Dolly's Oct. 11 release, Those Were The Days. Visit the page here.

Dolly Spirituals Still On Chart
Some Dolly songs are continuing to capture audiences overseas, according to the October European Christian Country Singles Chart released this week, which still contains two cuts from Dolly's 2002 CD, Halos And Horns. "John Daniel" gains four spots for the month to come in at No. 13 in its fourth month, while the title track jumps up 29 places to No. 20 in its second month.

Library Adds Another TN County
According to The Carroll County News-Leader here, Carroll County, Tenn., next week becomes the 72nd of the state's 95 counties to kick off Dolly's Imagination Library literacy program. The state's governor aims to soon have the project in all counties there. It currently mails out more than 2 million books a year to children across 40 states.

Another Hiatus
You won't see any site updates again for a few days, because as I noted earlier, your Webmaster is off to Dollywood for the weekend. Look for a recap of those events upon returning. Thank you for understanding.

Sept. 19:
Ticket Updates
Seats went on sale over the weekend via Ticketmaster for several dates on Dolly's "Vintage Tour." The best-seller was Milwaukee, where the orchestra level (front floor) appeared about 90 percent sold out and the mezzanine (the raised back half of the floor) about half sold out; plenty of seats remained in the balcony, however. In Detroit, the small front pit area sold out and the main floor was about half sold out. Evansville's small floor sold out but had plenty of seats remaining in the raised levels. Sioux City's floor was about one-third sold out, and Madison, Wis., had plenty of floor seats left. Don't forget that Monday brings ticket sales at 10 a.m. Central via Ticketmaster for Nov. 2 in Moline, Ill., and via Tickets.com for the Nov. 9 date in Tulsa, Okla.

Dolly Charms CMT Audience
When CMT premiered its 100 Greatest Duets special on Saturday, Dolly's was the first face viewers saw, first with Porter Wagoner and then with Kenny Rogers, and she showed up several more times throughout the countdown. Her entries were No. 95 "Please Don't Stop Loving Me" with Porter, No. 54 "Daddy Was An Old Time Preacher Man" with Porter, No. 53 "Rockin' Years" with Ricky Van Shelton, No. 37 "I Will Always Love You" with Vince Gill, No. 24 "Just Someone I Used To Know" with Porter and No. 1 "Islands In The Stream" with Kenny. She spoke about each one of her songs on the countdown and was shown a few other times throughout the show talking about other artists and other songs. The show also featured a "Crossroads Moment" of Dolly and Melissa Etheridge performing "Coat Of Many Colors" from the CMT duets series and a behind the scenes segment which revealed that Dolly was originally slated to record "Rockin' Years" with George Jones, but her record label changed it to Van Shelton at the last minute. When "Islands" was announced in the concert portion of the program at the top spot, the audience gave an immediate standing ovation. In the introductory segment on the song, Queer Eye For The Straight Guy's Carson Kressley commented: "When Kenny and Dolly were together, all was right with the world." And Kenny even said she was responsible for the song being a hit, offering: "It really has nothing to do with me. It give her full credit for it." The top 12 concert, filmed in Nashville this summer, was the first time the two had performed the song together in 15 years. The full countdown repeats a couple more times this month, while the concert portion repeats several times in the next few weeks.

Paisley Holding On In Aussie Tally
Brad Paisley's Time Well Wasted, featuring Dolly on two numbers, inches down one notch in its fourth week on the Australian country albums chart to stand at No. 18, it was announced Sunday.

N.C., Mich. Library Stories
Read about Dolly's Imagination Library book program's expansion in North Carolina from The Daily Dispatch in Henderson here and across the country in Michigan from The Saginaw News here.

A Brief Hiatus
You won't see any site updates for a few days, as your Webmaster is headed out of town for a conference. I expect to post the next update sometime on Wednesday, after which I will be headed to Dollywood for the National Music & Harvest Celebration and Dolly's annual benefit concerts. Look for a recap of those events upon my return. Thanks for your understanding.

Sept. 17:
Brother: Dolly To Sing At N.C. Groundbreaking
Dolly's brother Randy announced Friday that his sisters Dolly and Stella will join him and his wife, Deb, alongside fellow singers Ray Pillow, Jeannie Seely and Billy Walker for a Nov. 11 concert to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Randy Parton Theater and Carolina Crossroads Entertainment District in Roanoke Rapids, N.C., The Roanoke Daily Herald reported online Friday night. A $129 million entertainment project to be anchored with Randy's theater is planned for the area off of Interstate 95. Read more here. A previous tentative tour schedule from Dolly's "Vintage Tour" promoters had her playing Fayetteville, N.C., that same day (which is about two hours away). The performance time for Randy's event is not yet known, but if it is early in the day or afternoon, it would be feasible she could still make a concert in Fayetteville that evening if it is finalized.

Dolly On 'Conan' In October
It's been announced that Dolly will appear on NBC's Late Night With Conan O'Brien on Oct. 15 (Eastern time, Oct. 14 Central time) during her media blitz to promote that week's release of Those Were The Days. The show airs in most markets at 12:35 a.m. Eastern Oct. 15/11:35 p.m. Oct. 14 Central but would tape earlier in the day on Oct. 14.

Ticket Reminders
Don't forget that several more dates on "The Vintage Tour" are gearing up to offer tickets to the public. Ticketmaster on Friday puts on sale several shows: Oct. 27 in Detroit at 10 a.m. Eastern; Oct. 29 in Madison, Wis., at 11 a.m. Central; Oct. 30 in Milwaukee, Wis., at 10 a.m. Central; Nov. 1 in Evansville, Ind., at noon Central; and Nov. 5 in Sioux City, Iowa, at 10:30 a.m. Central. On Monday at 10 a.m. Central, Ticketmaster offers Nov. 2 Moline, Ill., for sale, and Tickets.com will put Nov. 9 Tulsa, Okla., on sale.

Duets Show Premieres Sat.
Remember to catch Dolly on the premiere of CMT's 100 Greatest Duets program Saturday. The five-hour series first airs starting at 5 p.m. Eastern, concluding with a concert counting down the top 12 songs, which begins at 9 p.m. Eastern. Dolly is interviewed about various songs throughout the shows and has six entries in the top 100, including the No. 1 song, "Islands In The Stream," which she and Kenny Rogers perform in the concert portion. Image at left of Kenny and Dolly rehearsing for the show courtesy CMT/PR Newswire.

Sept. 16:
Postponed Shows Moved To Oct., Dec., N.O. Is No
All of Dolly's postponed concerts were re-scheduled as of Thursday afternoon, but her show in the Big Easy will not take place. House of Blues on Thursday posted a notice that the Dec. 8 concert in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans has been cancelled. According to an unrelated story in The Baltimore Sun, the Saenger Theatre, where she was scheduled to perform, suffered multi-million-dollar damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and owners say they will likely leave the venue vacant for at least a year to gauge the city's recovery before deciding whether or not to repair the theater.
          Thursday's Myrtle Beach concert, which was moved due to Hurricane Ophelia, will now take place on Dec. 16, it was announced Thursday. Tickets remain available at Ticketmaster.
          As was previously reported here, Friday's Tallahassee engagement is re-scheduled for Dec. 8. Tickets for it are also available at Ticketmaster.
          It was revealed Thursday that Saturday's Danville, Ky., show has been moved to Oct. 25 with tickets available at 1-877-HITSHOW.
          And Sunday's Birmingham performance will occur on Dec. 3, it was also announced. Tickets remain available at Ticketmaster.
          Other than the date moved due to the storm off the Carolina coast, the other shows this week were postponed on doctor's orders due to Dolly's suffering from laryngitis. Tickets already purchased for each concert will be honored for the new dates, or those who cannot attend may obtain refunds at the point of purchase.
          In other "Vintage Tour" news:

No 'Days' For Sanctuary, Possible U.K. Delay
In what could be bad news for fans overseas, it was confirmed Thursday that Sanctuary Records will not be distributing Dolly's new CD, Those Were The Days. Although online music vendors such as HMV and Amazon U.K. were still accepting advance orders for the disc this week noting that Sanctuary would release it on Oct. 10, officials at the British label confirmed to Dollymania that they have decided to pass on it. They declined to provide a reason citing confidentiality of negotiations. Sugar Hill Records, Dolly's American distributor, also on Thursday confirmed that its parent company, Welk Music Group, was unable to reach an agreement with Sanctuary for the U.K. release of the album but added that they are in negotiations with other labels to release it overseas. However, a new street date will not be available until a deal with a new label is complete, a spokesperson said, which could mean a delay in its European release. Although neither side provided details of the negotiations, an unconfirmed but believed to be reliable report to Dollymania cited Sanctuary's reluctance to release a disc while Dolly was on tour in the U.S. and therefore unable to travel to the U.K. for promotional appearances. The label released two of Dolly's recent roots albums overseas, making her at the time one of Sanctuary's most popular artists, with Little Sparrow and Halos & Horns both being among the biggest-selling country albums in the U.K. for the year each was released.

Dollywood Parade Plans Revealed
Dollywood announced Thursday that Dolly will make two parades through the park grounds for the kick-off of the National Music & Harvest Celebration. Weather permitting, she will parade across the park at 12:15 p.m. local time Saturday, Sept. 24, and 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25. She also performs benefit shows for the Dollywood Foundation at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. both days (as was reported here Wednesday night, Saturday's shows remain sold out, but a few tickets became available this week for the Sunday performances -- call 1-800-Dollywood to order). In addition, she is expected to be on the park grounds for the festival's opening on Friday, Sept. 23, but it is not known whether any appearance(s) that day will be in public view. The National Music & Harvest Celebration continues with daily concerts, craftsmen and special food through Oct. 29. The opening day features performances by Rhonda Vincent & The Rage as well as the Fairfield Four. Others throughout the event include Hal Ketchum Sept. 30-Oct. 2, Julie Roberts Oct. 8-9, Ricochet Oct. 16-17, Confederate Railroad Oct. 18-19, John Anderson Oct. 22-23, the Chuck Wagon Gang Oct. 23-24, Pam Tillis Oct. 28-29 and Old Crow Medicine Show Oct. 28-29, among many others.

'Viva' Falls Back Off Chart
After 33 chart weeks, The Grascals' cover of "Viva Las Vegas" with Dolly falls back out of the 10-position country singles sales chart, down from No. 9 the previous week, it was announced Thursday in the Sept. 24 Billboard charts. The CD which contains the track, however, appropriately enough titled The Grascals, gains four spots to No. 8 in its 18th week on the bluegrass albums chart. Brad Paisley's Time Well Wasted, with Dolly harmony on "When I Get Where I'm Going" and humor on "Cornography," inches down one to No. 3 country in its fourth week and also slips five places to No. 20 pop and comprehensive and falls out of the 20-position Internet album sales chart, down from No. 18 the previous week. The disc falls two to No. 5 country and 10 to No. 48 pop in Canada. Rhonda Vincent's Ragin' Live, featuring her cover of "Jolene," slides two to No. 9 in its 26th week on the bluegrass albums chart, but Ralph Stanley's Shine On, featuring a Dolly-penned title track, falls out of the 15-position tally, down from No. 15 in its 13th week. The Very Best of Emmylou Harris: Heartaches and Highways, with a Trio track, drops three to No. 49 on the U.S. country albums chart in its seventh week. Although I don't normally have access to the top 100 country albums up north, as usually only the top 50 are easily available, this week I can tell you Harris falls eight to No. 62 country in Canada, and Dolly's Super Hits compilation from years back is on the charts there, too, gaining 24 spots to No. 73 in its second week on the Canadian country albums chart. Brooks & Dunn's Hillbilly Deluxe remains at No. 1 U.S. country for its second week but falls 10 to No. 13 pop, while Rascal Flatts' Feels Like Today rebounds two notches to No. 2 country and nine digits to No. 18 pop in its 50th week. The American Idol finalists' cover of the former Dolly and Julio Iglesias duet "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" moves up four to No. 18 on the pop singles sales chart in its 22nd week.

Ala. Library Gets Support
The Daily Home in Talladega, Ala., on Thursday profiled efforts there in Dolly's Imagination Library literacy program, specifically recognizing some of the local businesses and individuals who have made recent financial contributions to support it. Read more here.

Sept. 15:
Three Shows Postponed Due To Illness
Dolly has postponed several concerts in the next week due to health concerns, it was announced Wednesday. According to published reports, Dolly is under doctor's orders to temporarily halt "The Vintage Tour" to rest her voice due to a cold that evolved into acute laryngitis.
          Concerts Friday in Danville, Ky., and Saturday in Tallahassee, Fla., have been postponed, and ticketholders for both shows were being notified via phone of the change in plans (I'm also told that officials at the Kentucky venue said that once a new date is set, all ticketholders will be notified of it by mail).
          A spokesperson for Dolly confirmed to Dollymania that Sunday's Birmingham performance would also be postponed, although as of Wednesday evening Ticketmaster was continuing to sell tickets for that date and its accompanying charity auction for meet-and-greet passes to benefit Hurricane Katrina relief efforts (the winning bid at $700 per ticket -- $1,400 for the pair -- as of Wednesday evening).
          The spokesperson said all postponed dates are likely to be re-scheduled for December at the tour's conclusion, and by Wednesday afternoon the Tallahassee date had already been re-scheduled for Dec. 8, with tickets for the new date being sold via Ticketmaster. Tickets already sold for the postponed shows will be honored for the new dates in the same seats, or attendees may request refunds at the locations where tickets were purchased.
          Coverage of the postponements may be found in The Tallahassee Democrat here, Lexington Herald-Leader here and Danville Advocate-Messenger here.
          The new postponements come after Hurricane Ophelia forced Thursday night's show in Myrtle Beach, S.C., to be postponed to a yet-to-be-determined date as well.
          According to the current information, the tour will not pick back up until Dolly's benefit concerts for the Dollywood Foundation at Dollywood Sept. 24 and 25. Park officials announced Wednesday that a few tickets for the previously-sold-out Sunday performances have been released for sale to the public and are available by calling 1-800-Dollywood. Saturday's shows remain sold out.
          In other tour news:

Dolly And George On GAC
I'm told cable network Great American Country (GAC) Tuesday night showed the video for the new Dolly and George Jones duet, "The Blues Man," from The Possum's new CD Hits I Missed . . . And One I Didn't. The program, On The Streets, features videos and clips with the artists discussing the songs from projects that hit stores that week. In his clip, Jones talked about how much Dolly's vocals added to the song. The show repeats at 12:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Eastern Saturday and again at 12:30 a.m. Sunday. Thanks, Bridget!

'Country Boy' Loses One
Dolly's cover of "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" with Roy Rivers inches down one spot to No. 40 this week on the European CMA country singles chart, it was announced Wednesday. The former five-week No. 1 hit on their tally also re-enters the top 20 country airplay singles chart in Italy at No. 14 this week. Get the CD featuring the track here. Dolly's 1977 single " Here You Come Again," which had re-appeared last week at No. 11 on the German top 20 country singles airplay list, falls out of that tally this week.

Library Seeking Teens' Help
The Governor's Books from Birth Foundation, established by Gov. Phil Bredesen (D-Tenn.) to help Tennessee bring Dolly's Imagination Library literacy program to all of its counties in a public-private partnership, this week announced a plan to bring the state's teen-agers into efforts to replicate the program which provides one free book per month to every child in the community from birth to age 5. The League of Extraordinary Teens will kick-off at the Career Technical Students Organization regional conferences in Knoxville, Nashville and Memphis this month and seek to engage students ages 13-19 in supporting the program in communities statewide. They will each be asked to personally register at least 10 children for the program and raise a minimum of $135 from sponsors to defray the costs of "their" kids' participation for a year. Participants will be recognized with certificates from the governor and listed in the Foundation's newsletter and on its Web site. "Just as children 'age out' of the Imagination Library with a desire to learn, we hope teens will age out of the league with a desire to lead and maintain the program for their county," Bredesen explained. "We anticipate the league will provide renewable leadership and creative resources for county Imagination Libraries over the years." More information is available on the Foundation's Web site or by calling 1-877-99Books.

Dolly In New Compilation
A reader (who happens to run a cool Tom Cruise fan site here) alerted me that Dolly's "Little Sparrow" has been included in the compilation CD Best of the South: Musical Stories by Sugar Hill, which was released Tuesday. The disc serves as a companion to the release of Best of the South: Volume II, a book collecting the best from the past 10 years' of stories from Algonquin Books' Best Of The South series. Thanks, Maverick!

Sept. 14:
Hurricane Forces Show Postponement
The resumption of Dolly's "Vintage Tour" will take a little longer. It was announced early Tuesday morning that Thursday's concert at the House of Blues Myrtle Beach would be postponed to a yet-to-be-determined date due to Hurricane Ophelia, which is expected to make landfall on the Carolina coast in the next few days but could pound the region with rain and tropical storm force winds for up to two days. Residents in low-lying areas in the county were being asked to evacuate. Tickets already purchased will remain valid for the concert when it is rescheduled, officials say, but those who wish to obtain refunds may do so by returning to the location where tickets were purchased. In related news, several readers wrote in Tuesday evening to say Kentucky television stations were reporting that Dolly was also postponing additional upcoming shows, including Saturday's concert in Danville, Ky., due to laryngitis. Those reports could not be confirmed as of the time of this update Tuesday night, so they may not be accurate. Ticketmaster and House of Blues Tuesday night still showed Friday's Tallahassee show and Sunday's Birmingham performance as taking place. Tickets for the Kentucky show have not been sold online, and the venue box office was already closed by the time of the reports, but House of Blues as of Tuesday night showed the show being performed as scheduled. The tour itinerary posted on Sugar Hill Records' Web site, however, removed on Tuesday evening both the Danville and Tallahassee shows.

Dollywood Super Pass Vouchers Start Arriving
The lucky 1,600 fans and friends who were in DP's Celebrity Theatre for Dollywood's 20th anniversary celebration in April started receiving information via certified mail Monday for their "Platinum Blonde" Super Passes for the park and neighboring Dollywood's Splash Country. The passes provide unlimited admission to both parks for 20 years, free parking and 20 percent discount on purchases in the park, among other benefits. Recipients will have to bring the voucher which was mailed to them along with the certificate they received at the ceremony in April and a photo ID (for those age 16 and older) to the park starting Nov. 5 to obtain their permanent passes. The passes will be good from Nov. 5, 2005, through Dec. 30, 2025, and are valued at approximately $5,000 each.

Get Martina Project With Dolly
Amazon.com on Tuesday added a page for fans to reserve their copy of Martina McBride's covers album, Timesless, to be released Oct. 18. The set, which features songs such as "Rose Garden" and "You Ain't Woman Enough," will include Dolly harmony vocals on McBride's version of the Johnny Cash classic "I Still Miss Someone." Get yours here!

Dolly On CMT
Dolly will be among the stars shown on this weekend's CMT Insider, the network revealed Tuesday. While the specific segment featuring Dolly was not identified, they are expected to preview performances from that night's premiere of the 100 Greatest Duets top 12 concert (with Dolly and Kenny Rogers' performance of "Islands In The Stream" at No. 1) as well as spotlight George Jones's new CD which features a Dolly duet as its first single, so she could appear in both of those segments. The show airs at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Saturday with repeats Sunday and Monday.

Jones Disc Continues To Get Raves
Speaking of Jones's project, Hits I Missed . . . And One I Didn't, which hit stores on Tuesday, you may read a review on WFAA here taken from The Dallas Morning News in which the reviewer calls the disc "a gem" and says Dolly's vocals on the Hank Williams Jr.-written track "The Blues Man" with the Possum are "stellar."

Sept. 13:
S.C. Auction Ends Cheap
The charity auction for meet-and-greet passes at Thursday's Myrtle Beach concert ended Monday evening, with the winning bids at $180 per ticket, or $360 for each of the five pairs available. I suspect one reason for such a low price is the fact that Myrtle Beach is a much smaller market than the previous auctions, which averaged about $1,200 per pair in New York and D.C., but at least two readers wrote in to say they had bid much higher than $180 but the Ticketmaster computer system kept giving them error messages or saying they had been outbid, which suggests possible computer malfunctions on Ticketmaster's part. Proceeds benefited the Dollywood Foundation. The auction for one pair of tickets and meet-and-greet passes at Sunday's Birmingham show, to benefit Hurricane Katrina relief efforts of the American Red Cross, continues through 3 p.m. Central Thursday here. As of Monday evening, the price for that auction was at $705 per ticket, or $1,410 for the pair.

'CW' Refers To Countdown, Not Full Concert
Although Country Weekly on its Web site last week promo-ed a story from its current issue here on country television this fall by saying the season would find concert specials by Dolly, Toby Keith and Big & Rich, the actual story in the print edition only lists Dolly and Keith as participants in CMT's 100 Greatest Duets top 12 concert countdown, not individual specials. The show, which features Dolly and Kenny Rogers performing the No. 1 song, "Islands In The Stream," premieres on the cable network at 9 p.m. Eastern Saturday (the countdown of Nos. 100-13 kicks off at 5 p.m.).

Role Models: Dolly And Daisy Duke
It seems every woman looks up to Dolly :) In an interview with Boxing Scene, female ring announcer Amy Hayes, who has called fights for ESPN, Fox Sports and Showtime, was asked who were her role models. First and foremost, she named Dolly, saying: "She is dynamic business woman. Singer, song writer, actor, producer, business owner, wife, etc... She has one of the most magical personalities in the world. I like how she just tells it like it is and also has had to fight for her opportunities. She is her own woman and makes no excused for who she is." Others she admired include the character of Daisy Duke and her parents. Read more here.

Another Positive 'Essential' Review
Online magazine Angry Country on Monday offered a review of The Essential Dolly Parton double-CD set, noting that while it serves as a wonderful introductory package for those not familiar with Dolly's long career, it "does re-beg the question of when individual album reissues or a comprehensive box set will be produced for Parton's hardcore fans." Read more here.

Sept. 12:
Oh Happy 'Days'
Several readers have written in recently asking when the official Dollymania review for Dolly's Oct. 11 release, Those Were The Days, would be posted. Well, my advance copy arrived over the weekend, and the review of this splendid collection is now available here!

No N.O. Tickets, Atlanta Sale Date Set
Well, Ticketmaster didn't put tickets on sale Saturday for Dolly's Dec. 9 concert in New Orleans, as had been scheduled. There's still no official word on whether the show will be cancelled, although the tour's organizers, House of Blues, on Friday cancelled all concerts at its venue in New Orleans through November (but Dolly's show was to be at a different concert hall). In more positive news, I finally got word that Charenton, La., escaped most damage from the storm, so it is unlikely that her concert tentatively scheduled for the Cypress Bayou Casino there on Dec. 10 would be cancelled due to Hurricane Katrina-related problems.

Slipping Down Under
Brad Paisley's Time Well Wasted, with Dolly singing on one track and joking around on another, slides five places in its third week on the Australian country albums chart to come in at No. 17, it was announced Sunday.

Dolly, Kathie Lee Interview Coming Soon
Although it didn't give a date for the interview to air, The New York Post on Sunday noted here that Dolly pal Kathie Lee Gifford this week joins the cast of Entertainment Tonight spin-off The Insider as a celebrity interviewer and Broadway correspondent. One of her upcoming interviews will be with Dolly, the newspaper reported.

Author: Dolly True Southern Test
Southern columnist Hal Crowther has a new book out, Gather At The River: Notes From The Post-Millennial South, and in it he gives some praise to Dolly. According to a review in The Charlotte Observer here, Crowther says whether or not one enjoys Dolly can gauge if the person is a "real" Southerner, explaining: "One of my litmus tests for Southern authenticity would be the ability to appreciate Dolly Parton: beneath a blinding surface of deliberate, exaggerated, self-satirizing artifice lurks one of the most engagingly authentic individuals in the Nashville pantheon." Get the book here.

No Dolly On Tarantino Soundtrack
Although Lakeshore Records had previously included Dolly in the list of artists who had songs which would appear on the soundtrack to the new Quentin Tarantino film Daltry Calhoun, the final track listing has been revealed, and Dolly's not on it. But she's not alone. Also missing and previously listed as being on the soundtrack, to be released Sept. 20, are Bob Dylan, Wilco, Dusty Springfield and The Everly Brothers, among others. No reason for the changes was released.

Sept. 10:
Next Meet-And-Greet Auctions Kick Off
The new charity auctions to meet Dolly on "The Vintage Tour" got started Friday. One set of two passes for her Sept. 18 Birmingham show and five sets of two passes each for Thursday's Myrtle Beach concert are on the auction block, with proceeds from the first benefiting Hurricane Katrina relief efforts of the American Red Cross and the second supporting the non-profit Dollywood Foundation. As of Friday evening, the price in Birmingham had already shot to $650 per ticket, or $1,300 for the pair. For Myrtle Beach, the lowest winning bid was $125 per ticket, or $250 per pair. The Myrtle Beach auction continues through 7 p.m. Eastern Monday here, while the Birmingham auction concludes at 3 p.m. Central Thursday here. Additional auctions for future shows on the tour are likely and are typically finalized and announced a week or two prior to the concert.
In other tour news:

Don't Look For 'Days' To Come Early
Although some U.S. online retailers such as Amazon.com and CD Universe show the British import version of Dolly's upcoming CD, Those Were The Days, being available from Sanctuary Records for shipping to customers next week, officials with the record label confirm those dates are in error. The disc is currently scheduled for release in the U.K. on Oct. 10, and a spokesperson for the British label tells Dollymania: "It will certainly not be available prior to this date." It is to be released in the U.S. via Sugar Hill Records on Oct. 11. Reserve your U.S. copy here, or if you want the import version (which will not be shipped until at least Oct. 10), click here.

Sept. 9:
Birmingham Auction Starts Friday
Ticketmaster on Thursday revealed more details on the Dolly charity auction to benefit Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. The auction, for Dolly's Sept. 18 Birmingham concert, will feature two second row seats, two passes to the meet-and-greet before the show, two hatch show posters and one VIP parking space for the performance. Bids will be accepted from noon Friday through 3 p.m. next Thursday, all times Central. Unlike previous auctions, which made available five sets of two passes each, this one is only for the one pair. Place your bids here! And don't forget that the charity auction to benefit the Dollywood Foundation for meet-and-greet passes for Dolly's concert in Myrtle Beach, S.C., next Thursday also starts Friday, at 11 a.m. Eastern, with bids accepted through 7 p.m. Monday. Bid on that one here!

Paisley Still Doing Well On The Charts
Brad Paisley's Time Well Wasted, featuring Dolly singing on "When I Get Where I'm Going" and joking around on "Cornography," loses its two-week hold on the No. 1 spot on the country albums chart in the Sept. 17 Billboard figures, it was announced Thursday. The disc slips one on that tally to No. 2 in its third week, loses nine spots to No. 15 pop and comprehensive and is down six to No. 18 for Internet sales. Up in Canada, the CD loses one to No. 3 country and 13 places to No. 38 pop. "Viva Las Vegas" by Dolly with The Grascals inches down two to No. 9 in its 33rd week on the country singles sales chart. On the bluegrass albums chart, The Grascals re-enters the 15-position chart to log a 17th week at No. 12, Rhonda Vincent's Ragin' Live, with its live cover of "Jolene," loses one to No. 7 in its 25th chart week and Ralph Stanley's Shine On, with its Dolly title cut, drops two to No. 15 in its 13th week. The Very Best of Emmylou Harris: Heartaches and Highways, with its one Trio track, loses two to No. 46 on the U.S. country albums chart and falls out of the top 50 for the country albums in Canada, down from No. 43 the previous week, its sixth. Brooks & Dunn's Hillbilly Deluxe, debuts at No. 1 country and No. 3 pop on sales of 111,000 copies. The American Idol finalists' cover of the former Dolly and Julio Iglesias duet "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" falls five to No. 22 on the pop singles sales chart in its 21st week.

Sept. 8:
Charity Auctions Announced, Grascals Sign On
Ticketmaster is gearing up for two more Dolly charity auctions, it was announced Wednesday. The first, for next Thursday's show in Myrtle Beach, kicks off at 11 a.m. Eastern Friday and runs through 7 p.m. Eastern Monday. Five packages of two tickets each for the concert and Dolly's meet-and-greet before the show will be offered, with proceeds benefiting The Dollywood Foundation. Bid here! Also, there will be an auction for the Sept. 18 Birmingham, Ala., concert to benefit Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Although Ticketmaster had not revealed the contents of the auction as of the time of this update Wednesday evening, I suspect it will also be for meet-and-greet passes. See more information for that item here. Previous charity auctions on the tour sold for $1,450 per pair for Washington, D.C., and $1,000 per pair for New York.

Sept. 7:
Evansville Date Confirmed
Promoters for Dolly's "Vintage Tour" on Tuesday released an updated tour schedule, confirming the Nov. 1 Evansville, Ind., stop previously reported here. The list does not include the previously-announced tentative concerts in Fayetteville, N.C., on Nov. 11 or Dallas on Dec. 1, but promoters say those dates have yet to be finalized and confirmed.

Love For Dolly And George
A couple of publications this week give great reviews of George Jones' upcoming disc, Hits I Missed . . . And One I Didn't, which hits stores next Tuesday. The Des Moines Register offers the disc three-and-a-half stars, singling out his duet with Dolly on "The Blues Man," saying it "will break your heart." Read the review here. And Angry Country magazine calls the album additional proof of Jones's status as a living legend and says "Blues Man" sent chills through the reviewer and the two singers sound great together. Read that one here.

Sept. 6:
Photos From Ottawa Posted
Thanks to reader Troy, some galleries of amazing shots of Dolly from the stage of Ottawa's Corel Centre Wednesday night, such as the one at left, have been posted on the site. They are available here. Thanks, Troy! In other concert news: "The Vintage Tour" remains on its two-week break, resuming a week from Thursday at the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Tickets remain available for that show and several others on the tour via Ticketmaster, with many more dates on the tour going on sale Sept. 17. Also, as of Monday evening there was still no word on whether the Dec. 9 show in New Orleans will be cancelled. Ticketmaster continued to list it for pre-sale starting at 10 a.m. Central time Tuesday and on sale to the public at 10 a.m. Saturday, but House of Blues still had not released the pre-sale code to its e-mail members.

Keith And Dolly Get Noticed
Australia's Daily Telegraph posted a brief story this week on Aussie Keith Urban, noting that he performs on Dolly's upcoming covers album, Those Were The Days, and that singing with her was a lifelong dream for the performer from Down Under. Read more here.

Sept. 5:
Duet Slips Overseas
Dolly and Roy Rivers's cover of "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" is starting to slide down the European CMA country singles chart. The song, which had previously spent five weeks at No. 1, tumbles 23 places to No. 39 this week, it was announced Sunday. It also falls back out of the top 20 country singles airplay chart in Italy, down from No. 12 the previous week. Get the CD featuring the track here. In the tallies from other individual nations, Germany got a case of nostalgia in the past week, with Dolly's 1977 smash " Here You Come Again" garnering enough plays to come in at No. 11 on that nation's top 20 country singles airplay chart.

Doing Well Down Under
Brad Paisley's new CD, Time Well Wasted, featuring Dolly vocals on one track and her comedy skills on another, loses one spot in its second week on the Australian country albums chart to come in at No. 12, it was announced Sunday.

Yet Another Positive Paisley Review
Speaking of Time Well Wasted, The Pittsburg Tribune-Review over the weekend gave the disc four out of five stars, noting the comedy piece featuring Dolly, "Cornography," is "quirky and silly" and saying Paisley's performance of "When I Get Where I'm Going" with Dolly "squeezes the heart with its beauty." Read the full review here.

Still No Announcement On Big Easy Show
As of Sunday evening, no official word had come yet to cancel Dolly's Dec. 9 concert in New Orleans. Ticketmaster still showed the House of Blues pre-sale starting on Tuesday and ticket sales to the general public beginning on Saturday. However, HOB has yet to send out the pre-sale code, which is supposed to be supplied via e-mail to all of its members registered as living in the New Orleans region.

Sept. 3:
Dolly Brings Toronto To Tears, Ind. Show Listed
Reports from fans at Dolly's Toronto appearance on "The Vintage Tour" Thursday night tell Dollymania that, as has been the case with each stop on the tour thus far, the highly energetic crowd offered Dolly numerous lengthy standing ovations in what several said was her best tour they have ever seen. The show, which was one of the few to feature an opening act (Justin Rutledge), had almost the same set list as previous engagements on the tour. Notable exceptions were that, as she has done at the other Canadian shows, she is performing nine of the 12 numbers from her upcoming CD. Also, she removed her a capella version of "Little Sparrow" and the encore number of "Hello God"/"He's Alive," while "Smoky Mountain Memories" returned to the show.
          Once more, she appeared to be genuinely overwhelmed by the crowd's response when standing ovations lasted much longer than she had anticipated. People were seen dancing in the isles. When she performed "Where Do The Children Play," she dedicated the Cat Stevens cover to the victims of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana and Mississippi. And one reader said her version of "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" sounds as if "this song has been waiting all of these years for Dolly to record it!"
          Unfortunately, her voice sounded quite hoarse at times, and she seemed to strain on some song performances and most of her speaking, which she did much less of than at previous concerts, most likely to save her voice. Also, security was said to be very strict in not allowing any photography from the audience.
          The night's encore was "Imagine," and I'm told the crowd was once again at its feet, with several members of the audience seen crying. For the last quarter of the song, the crowd was cheering so loud for Dolly and the vision of a better world which the song offers that many could no longer even hear her singing the end of the song.
          I'm told that the crowd was a good size, although not near a sell-out, which was most likely caused by the fact that Tim McGraw was playing a concert at the same time a little over an hour away (at the same venue Dolly sold out for three consecutive nights last year). As his tickets went on sale several months before Dolly's, most country fans in the region had already committed to attending his show before Dolly's was announced.
          But the papers agreed that the concert was great as well. The Toronto Sun gave the show four out of five stars here, with the reviewer saying "thank god" Dolly was "still her over-the-top glamourous self." And The Star here pointed out Dolly's many contradictions ("little-girl vulnerable and Las Vegas lewd," etc.) saying her live show also encompasses the many facets of her varied career but manages to keep it "somehow all completely real," summarizing: "And despite all the fakery and flash, she shone like a jewel, breaking down each invention with plaintively honest yarns, rough jokes and candid revelations. Art or artifice? It doesn't matter. Dolly's Dolly. And she's real." Thanks again to those who sent in their recaps and the reviews! In other tour news:

Get Jones Disc Early
If you want to go ahead and get your copy of George Jones's upcoming CD Hits I Missed . . . And One I Didn't, which includes his duet with Dolly on "Blues Man," instead of waiting for its Sept. 13 release, Bandit Records President Evelyn Shriver confirms it is in stock and should be shipped now for those ordering the disc directly from Jones's Web site here. Thanks to Tony for pointing this out!

Lending A Helping Hand
According to coverage of local relief contributions in the Knoxville News-Sentinel Friday, Dollywood this week donated $25,000 toward efforts in their local community to collect and deliver bottled water to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Read the story here.

Dolly On CMT
CMT announced Friday that there will be a Dolly video included in the next installment of its bluegrass/roots/Americana music show, Wide Open Country. Episode 39 of the series airs at 10 a.m. Sunday, with repeats Monday and Tuesday nights.

Sept. 2:
Dolly In Ottawa, TV Appearances Revealed
Dolly apparently rocked the house in Ottawa Wednesday night. The Ottawa Sun offered a mostly positive review here Thursday, praising most of the show but calling her cover tunes "lovely odes to the originals, if a bit cheesy and bearing a slight 'Dolly Parton does some covers' feel." Thanks, Brad! And The Ottawa Citizen also gave a good review, although it is not yet available on the paper's Web site. A copy sent to me called the show "charming and uplifting," noting that although Dolly is performing nearly the same set at each concert on the tour, it aptly captures her personality and persona. Thanks, Frank! "The Vintage Tour" was headed to Toronto Thursday night before taking a break. Dolly returns to the road in South Carolina on Sept. 15.

Paisley Disc Still No. 1
Brad Paisley's Time Well Wasted, with its two Dolly cuts, remains steady at No. 1 on the country albums charts in its second week and slips four to No. 6 pop and comprehensive with sales of 70,000 in the Sept. 10 Billboard numbers released Thursday. The album also falls seven spots to No. 12 for Internet sales and in Canada remains steady at No. 2 country and drops seven to No. 25 pop. "Viva Las Vegas" by Dolly with The Grascals gains one notch to No. 7 in its 32nd week on the country singles sales chart. On the bluegrass albums chart, Rhonda Vincent's Ragin' Live, featuring a cover of "Jolene," inches up one to No. 6 in its 24th chart week, while Ralph Stanley's Shine On, the title track of which was penned by Dolly, also bumps itself up one to No. 13 in its 12th week. The Very Best of Emmylou Harris: Heartaches and Highways, featuring one Dolly track, loses five to No. 44 on the country albums chart in the U.S. but remains steady at No. 43 in Canada in its sixth week, while Kenny Rogers' 42 Ultimate Hits, which includes "Islands In The Stream," falls back out of the 75-position country albums list, down from No. 74 in its 43rd chart week. The week's No. 2 country disc is Faith Hill's Fireflies, which remains steady there and slips three to No. 11 pop. The American Idol finalists' cover of the former Dolly and Julio Iglesias duet "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" falls nine to No. 17 on the pop singles sales chart in its 20th week.

Another Paisley Review Singles Out Dolly
The Plainview Daily Herald over in Texas offered a stunning review this week to Brad Paisley's Time Well Wasted, giving it 10 out of 10 stars and noting the track featuring Dolly's guest vocals, "When I Get Where I'm Going," is "worth the price of the CD alone." Read more here.

Celebrating The Library
The Pratt Tribune in Pratt County, Kan., this week profiled the celebration of that community's 75th month as part of Dolly's national Imagination Library literacy program. Read their coverage here.

Helping Hurricane Katrina Victims
For readers wishing to help those impacted by the Hurricane Katrina, the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson (where your webmaster's "day job" is located), has established the Hurricane Katrina Victim Assistance Fund. Tax-deductible contributions may be mailed to 525 East Capitol Street, Suite 5B, Jackson, MS 39201. Credit card gifts may be called in to 601-974-6044 or e-mailed to duane@cfgreaterjackson.org (please include your name, mailing address, phone number, card number, expiration date, and the amount of the gift; Visa and MasterCard only). We will collect the funds and then distribute 100 percent of the gifts as soon as possible to the appropriate aid agencies serving victims on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. We have already disbursed emergency grants totaling $41,000 to the local chapters of the Red Cross and Salvation Army thanks to the generosity of two of our existing donors. And for readers within 250-300 miles of the impacted area, political organization Move On.org has created an online registry of people seeking shelter and those willing to open their homes to refugees. Visit here for more information.

Sept. 1:
Several Shows On Sale In September
House of Blues on Wednesday announced that tickets for several of Dolly's dates later this year are scheduled to go on sale in a few weeks. Currently scheduled for Sept. 17 sale dates are Oct. 29 in Madison, Wis.; Oct. 30 in Milwaukee, Wis.; Nov. 5 in Sioux City, Iowa; Nov. 6 in Rochester, Minn.; and Nov. 9 in Tulsa, Okla.; while Oklahoma City's Nov. 8 show is expected to go on sale Sept. 12. HOB also shows a Sept. 17 sale date for Nov. 4 in Kansas City, Mo., but Ticketmaster instead lists that date as on sale Sept. 16, as was previously reported here. Also, HOB on Wednesday released the sale prices for Nov. 28 in Clearwater, Fla., at $50-$100, although the sale date has yet to be announced.

CD With Dolly Track Gets IBMA Nod
The Grascals scored three nominations this week for the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards, including a nod for Album Of The Year for their debut CD, The Grascals, which features Dolly on the track "Viva Las Vegas." The disc faces off against 40 by Larry Sparks, Lonely Runs Both Ways by Alison Krauss and Union Station, Tribute To Jimmy Martin and You Gotta Dig A Little Deeper by Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver. Dolly didn't get any nominations herself, although she had earned preliminary nods in the top 10 nominees for Best Female Vocalist and Song Of The Year with The Grascals for "Viva." The band also snagged nominations for Emerging Artist Of The Year and Song Of The Year for "Me And John And Paul." Over the past five years, Dolly has won three IBMAs and received four additional nominations.

Oct. Release For Dean Disc With Dolly
Billy Dean's holiday CD, The Christ (A Song For Joseph), which is slated to include his recording of "Silent Night" with Dolly, is scheduled to be released on Oct. 11, it has been announced. Reserve your copy of the disc here! Thanks, Tony!