www.dollymania.net                News                          November 2009

Nov. 30:
Dolly Helps Grammy Charity
Dolly is helping out the Grammys' MusiCares Foundation for music education by donating an autographed promotional photo and autographed copy of her Backwoods Barbie CD to benefit the charity in its online auction on eBay. Check it out here. The minimum bid is $50 and as of press time Sunday night no bids had been registered yet. The auction ends a week from Monday.

Dolly Makes Aussie Survey
In response to a recent music survey of the top 100 songs of all time that found no woman on the list, Australian alcohol company Hummingbird 100 commissioned a survey for the top 100 female songs of all time, and Dolly shows up once as a performer and once as a composer. Her 1974 classic "Jolene" registers at No. 97 on the countdown, and Whitney Houston's cover of her song "I Will Always Love You" makes it to No. 37. See the full list here.

Dolly Induction On GAC
Great American Country (GAC) has announced it will focus a special program next weekend on the recent Music City Walk of Fame ceremony that included Dolly's induction as well as Charlie Daniels, Kid Rock and the late Ernest Tubb and Tootsie Bess. The episode of Master Series with honoree interviews and clips from the ceremony itself will air at 11 a.m. Sunday.

Store Shots Submitted
Thanks to Scott Roberts for sending in a couple of shots of Dolly's new Trinkets and Treasures store in Nashville. Check them out here and here -- and he and a few other readers have written in recently to say that the store is selling a stand-alone DVD version of the Dolly: Live From London concert (most likely more of the left-over pre-release copies that were sold earlier in the year as a fund-raiser for public television).


Nov. 27:
'London' Loses Ground
Although Dolly: Live From London manages to hold onto the No. 36 spot on the country albums tally in its second week of sales, the Dec. 5 Billboard charts released Thursday revealed it lost much ground elsewhere. The CD/DVD combo drops nine places to No. 34 in its second week on the independent label albums charts and drops off of the top 200 pop albums chart, down from No. 195 in its sole week on that list. (The drop off of the all-genre "Billboard 200" is due both to the set's low sales as well as a change in how the chart is tabulated, as it now allows older releases to be counted. In essence, what was the comprehensive albums chart until last week is now the Billboard 200, and Dolly's set didn't sell enough to make last week's comprehensive albums list -- however it didn't make this week's top 200 current albums chart, which now uses the same formula that had previously been applied to the Billboard 200.) In Canada, the collection tumbles out of the top 50 country albums chart, down from one week at No. 40. As was noted here last week, the set is Dolly's career worst regular album on chart performance (if holiday and compilations are considered, it's still her sixth-lowest chart number of her career). The 1984 Kenny Rogers and Dolly duet collection Once Upon A Christmas zips up 11 places to No. 14 in its second week this year on the U.S. country catalog albums chart, and it also gains six to No. 74 Canadian pop albums in its second week on that list for 2009. However, it inches down one to No. 9 Canadian country in its third week there. Steve Martin's The Crow - New Songs for the 5-String Banjo, with its Dolly duet, holds steady at No. 2 in its 40th week on the bluegrass albums tally, and NOW That's What I Call A Country Christmas, with Dolly's "Hard Candy Christmas," moves up nine to No. 13 country in its sixth week there, dips two to No. 15 holiday albums in its seventh week there, and rises 14 to No. 65 pop in its fourth week on that list. Carrie Underwood's Play On remains steady at No. 1 country in its third week but slides six to No. 9 pop with 86,000 copies sold, while Taylor Swift's Fearless also stays put at No. 2 country but falls five to No. 10 pop in its 54th chart week with 84,000 units moved.

More Boxed Set Praise
Another reviewer recommends the Dolly boxed set as a stocking stuffer, with The Boston Globe on Thursday saying the collection is "it's a fine starting point for anyone who's ever wondered what they were missing about Dolly Parton. Turns out there was a lot." Read the full review here.


Nov. 26:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Could The Stars Be Heading To Dollywood?
Rumor has it Dolly will bring some special celebrity guests to join her for her May homecoming at Dollywood to celebrate the park's 25th anniversary, Knoxville News Sentinel columnist Terry Morrow reported Wednesday. He speculates that she'll invite Kenny Rogers to return to the park and perhaps Miley Cyrus or Reese Witherspoon, although no names have actually been announced (or any official confirmation that there will be stars coming for an anniversary event in May, for that matter). Read his piece here. As has been previously reported here, Dolly is expected to appear at the park for its seasonal grand opening the weekend of March 27, her "homecoming" (which will include her annual Pigeon Forge parade) the weekend of May 7 and KidsFest in June.

BBC Images Available
Thanks to Chris for passing along a BBC webpage about this weekend's Fern Britton Meets . . . Dolly Parton broadcast, including a couple of shots of Dolly with the interviewer. Check it out here.


Nov. 25:
Dolly's Store Makes The News
Several medial outlets picked up on Dolly's Nashville store opening Tuesday after Monday's press release announcing the project. Check out notes from Nashville's WSMV television here, GAC here and CMT here.


Nov. 24:
Dolly Store Details Released
More information was revealed Monday on the new Dolly store in Music City. Dolly Parton's Trinkets & Treasures will fill 1,000 square feet at 126 Second Avenue in downtown Nashville next door to the WIldhorse Saloon, according to a press release issued by Dolly's Los Angeles-based publicist. The store begins offering previews Tuesday, and the first 500 shoppers spending more than $20 each receive a tour book from last year's Backwoods Barbie Tour. It will operate 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. Sundays through Fridays with 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. Saturday hours. The release noted that the store "reflects the Dolly 'Coat of Many Colors' influence with a mix of pink, yellow, red, blue, green and purple--both in the interior and exterior--with Dolly music and videos filling the space." It will sell Dolly Records-released CDs and DVDs (the release doesn't state whether other labels' Dolly releases will be sold as well) with a preview listening post. It will also have t-shirts, hats, jewelry and children and 'tween items, the release stated. As was previously noted, a "grand opening" will take place in spring 2010, and the release notes that Dolly will be in attendance for that event.

See Dolly's Thanksgiving Message
Dolly on Monday released a Thanksgiving message for her fans. Watch it on YouTube here.

Dolly On GAC, CMT
Dolly's interview with Great American Country (GAC) aired Monday night on GAC Nights to promote Dolly: Live From London, and her interview on CMT Insider will run this weekend, that network announced Monday. The CMT show airs at 10:30 a.m. Saturday with an 11 a.m. repeat Sunday. Presumably, it is the same interview that the channel posted a portion of online a few days ago here. (No word on whether the televised version will include any different parts of the interview.)

BBC Date Revealed
Thanks to Suzanne and Caroline for alerting me that the broadcast date has been released for the upcoming interview with Dolly about religion on the new Fern Britton Meets . . . series on the BBC overseas. Her episode will air at 10 a.m. Sunday.


Nov. 23:
'The Book Lady' Arrives On TV
The Book Lady, a documentary on Dolly's Imagination Library that has played at a handful of film festivals this year, has gotten its television premiere. As was previously reported, the film aired at midnight Sunday night/Monday morning on the Canadian Broadcasting Company program Canadian Reflections. Check out a story from The Chronicle Herald here.

Positive Reviews For Dolly
Canada's Sun Media has a positive review of Dolly: Live From London, available here from Chatham Daily News, which gives the set three-and-a-half stars and notes that "the Brits act like she's Queen of England." And the Dolly boxed set gets Christmas gift recommendations from two papers this weekend: The Republican in Springfield, Mass., here and The Star Tribune in Minneapolis, Minn., here, although both critics lament that its songs stop at 1993 and don't include her recent Sugar Hill recordings.

Couple Of Marathons Coming
Want to catch a repeat of Dolly's recent interview with Larry King? His show is running a Thanksgiving Day marathon, and the episode that featured Beyonce and Dolly chatting with him will air at 5 p.m. Thursday. Another mini-marathon a few days later will also feature Dolly, as Disney is airing several episodes of Hannah Montana on Dec. 5, including both of Dolly's: at 5:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. that night.


Nov. 21:
No Dolly On GAC
Although Great American Country (GAC) had been promoting that Dolly was supposed to be featured as a guest on this week's Top 20 Country Countdown Friday for an inteview to plug her Dolly: Live From London CD/DVD, even noting on its website front page Friday that she would be on the program, her segment did not air. No word on whether it has been pushed back to another episode. The network did announce on the program, however, that a Dolly contest is coming in December as part of its "Superfan" promotions and it will include the give-a-way of a Dolly stage outfit. The "Dolly For The Holidays Superfan Weekend" starts Dec. 4.


Nov. 20:
'London' Makes 'Hot Shot' Debut
Dolly: Live From London is the week's highest-debuting country album, snagging the prize as the "Hot Shot Debut" for the genre's Nov 28 Billboard tally, the magazine revealed Thursday. The CD/DVD combo lands on the country chart at No. 36, although since most stores are carrying it for the same price as a regular new release CD, that debut is not very impressive. Unless sales pick up substantially in subsequent weeks, the set would be the lowest-charting non-compilation, non-holiday album in Dolly's career on the country charts (and if compilations and holiday releases were included, it would still be the sixth-lowest). On other charts, the set came in at No. 25 for independent label albums, No. 40 Canadian country albums and No. 195 on the all-genre Billboard 200 "pop" chart of current releases, although it didn't sell enough to make it onto the 200-position comprehensive albums list which includes both current releases and older releases (although those divisions change next week when the rules for the comprehensive albums chart will be applied to the Billboard 200 to reflect sales of all CDs regardless of year of initial release, while the rules presently used for the Billboard 200 will be applied to a new "Top Current Albums" tally). Her 1984 holiday collection with Kenny Rogers, Once Upon A Christmas, debuts for the year on the 25-position U.S. country catalog albums list at No. 25, gains five to No. 8 on the top 50 Canadian country albums chart in its second week this year and debuts for the year at No. 80 on the top 100 Canadian pop albums list. Stateside, Steve Martin's The Crow - New Songs for the 5-String Banjo, feautring its Dolly duet, holds steady at No. 2 in its 39th week on the bluegrass albums tally, and NOW That's What I Call A Country Christmas, with Dolly's "Hard Candy Christmas," rises six to No. 22 country in its fifth week there, one to No. 13 holiday albums in its sixth week there, and 54 places to No. 79 pop in its third week on that list. Carrie Underwood's Play On remains at No. 1 country in its second week but slips two to No. 3 pop with 128,000 copies sold, while Taylor Swift's Fearless holds steady at No. 2 country and inches up one to No. 5 pop in its 53rd chart week with 81,000 units moved.

Amazon Readies Christmas Single
Amazon.com has added a page where you'll be able starting Dec. 1 to purchase and download Dolly's new holiday single, "Comin' Home For Christmas". Check out the page here.

Park Wins Awards
For the fourth year in a row, Dollywood took home the honor for the theme park show worldwide that has the greatest ability to reach the hearts of its audience. Sha-Kon-O-Hey! Land Of Blue Smoke, the tale of families leaving the Smoky Mountains at the creation of the national park, won the 2009 Heartbeat Award from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo Wednesday. The $1.3 million production featured eight new songs written by Dolly (available here as a CD to benefit the Friends of the Smokies for the park's 75th anniversary). The park previously received the honor last year and in 2006 for Dreamland Drive-In as well as 2007 for The Great American Country Show. This year, Dolly's park was also awarded Best Live Entertainment Show for Creature Adventures Starring the Kratt Brothers, Best Male Performer for Gabriel Myers from Drive-In and honorable mention in Best Atmosphere/Street Performers for the Gem Tones.

DVD Release Date Changes
The Shout! Factory release of Country's Greatest Stars Live Vol. 1, which features the 1978 television special 50 Years Of Country Music co-hosted by Dolly, has been pushed back. As was reported here in September, the set was to hit stores Dec. 1. Now it is scheduled for a Jan. 26 release.


Nov. 19:
CMT Talks About 'Live From London'
CMT's Insider host Katie Cook spoke with Dolly recently about her Dolly: Live From London DVD/CD collection, and the network posted the interview online Wednesday. Watch it here.

Dolly Store Coming
A new Dolly store is coming to Nashville, Dolly's official record label website, DollyPartonMusic.net, announced Wednesday. The store, to be called Dolly Parton's Trinkets & Treasures, will open next week in Music City. No further details have been announced yet other than the fact that a "grand opening" celebration for it won't occur until March.


Nov. 18:
Carrie Chats On Dolly Guest Spot
What did Carrie Underwood think of Dolly's appearance on her upcoming Christmas special? She told television blog Zap2It here: "I've never met her before this so I was so excited to get to talk to her and obviously be able to sing with her. It was a special moment, a dream come true. When Dolly's there, you step out of the spotlight and let her do her thing."

Water Park Snags Prize
Dollywood's Splash Country this week was named the Must-See Waterpark at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo. According to a press release, the award recognizes outstanding waterparks around the world that provide visitors with a unique and memorable experience, top-notch guest service, operations, and safety. The park, across the street from Dollywood, operates from Memorial Day to Labor Day.   


Nov. 17:
Latest Dolly Press Offerings
Several media outlets over the weekend noted Dolly's quote in the new US magazine about painting the toenails of her statue on the Sevier County Courthouse lawn, but New York Daily News on Monday went one further to explain that the magazine has a "25 Things You Don't Know About Dolly Parton" feature in the current edition which also covers her chicken and dumplings, her attraction to salt-and-pepper hair and hairy chests, and more. Check it out here. And Toronto gay magazine FAB boasts an interview with the icon here.


Nov. 16:
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
What do you listen to while rowing for weeks and weeks across an entire ocean? Dolly, mostly, according to The San Francisco Gate here in a profile of two Britons who paddled from Japan to California. Thanks, Doug!

N.C. Library News
The Star in Cleveland County, N.C., profiled over the weekend recent gifts its local chapter of Dolly's Imagination Library literacy program has received here.


Nov. 14:
'Dolly' Falls, Kenny & Dolly Return
After just one week on the chart, Sony's Dolly boxed set falls out of the top 75 country albums this week, down from No. 59, the Nov. 21 Billboard charts revealed. Across the border, though, Kenny Rogers and Dolly's 1984 holiday collection Once Upon A Christmas makes its annual return to the country tally, debuting for the year at No. 13. Back in the U.S., Steve Martin's The Crow - New Songs for the 5-String Banjo, feautring its Dolly duet, holds steady at No. 2 in its 38th week on the bluegrass albums tally. NOW That's What I Call A Country Chritmas, which includes Dolly's "Hard Candy Christmas," gains six to No. 28 country in its fourth week and shoots up 60 points to No. 133 pop in its second week on that chart. Brad Paisley's Time Well Wasted, with Dolly on "When I Get Where I'm Going," falls off the 25-position country catalog chart, down from No. 25 the previous week. Carrie Underwood's Play On debuts at No. 1 country and pop with 318,000 copies sold in its first week, while Taylor Swift's Fearless slips one to No. 2 country and three to No. 6 pop in its 52nd chart week.

Dolly Chats With Joy


Dolly wrapped up her major media push for this week's release of Dolly: Live From London with a stop by The Joy Behar Show Friday night on CNN's HLN. Check out a clip in the media player above. Also, The Times Record News in Wichita Falls, Texas, gives the collection an "A" in a review here.

Nov. 13:
'London' Publicity Train Rolls On
Dolly continued on Thursday promoting the Dolly: Live From London DVD/CD combo. She started things off on ABC's Good Morning America. Check out the story and video of her interview here. She ended the day on The Jay Leno Show, who re-named his 10 @ 10 segment to 9 @ 9 since she was in the Central time zone, and the segment challenged her to sing the Tennessee state song, which she obliged with a gorgeous rendition of "The Tennessee Waltz." (The full episode should be available online here Friday.) She also plugged the release in an interview with Canada's National Post here.

'Dolly' Gets Another Review
Another praiseful review of the Dolly arrived Thursday, this time from The Nation here saying "as boxes go, it is solid and really all you need...and those 3 great bluegrass records on Sugar Hill."

Vote For Dolly
Thanks to Maggie for alerting me to a poll here from The Grand Ole Opry asking which star would fans most like to see host Saturday Night Live after last weekend's Taylor Swift. As of press time, Dolly and Brad Paisley were tied with 24 percent each, followed by Blake Shelton at 21 percent, Carrie Underwood at 19 percent and Keith Urban at 10 percent.

Swift Can't Top Dolly Audience
The draw of Taylor Swift raised this year's Country Music Association (CMA) Awards telecast to the biggest audience in four years, it was reported Thursday, but it paled in comparison with the draw Dolly brought the year she took home Entertainer of the Year. According to Reuters here, Wednesday night's show where Swift won Entertainer of the Year attracted 16.8 million people, which the article noted is roughly half of the all-time record CMA audience of 36 million when Dolly got the top honor in 1978.


Nov. 12:
New Christmas Single Coming
Dolly will soon release a new holiday single, "Comin' Home For Christmas," apparently set for a Dec. 1 regular release. The four-minute, 27-second track is already available as a free bonus download for those who order her new Dolly: Live From London CD/DVD from Jewelry TV, which is also offering fans a chance to win the outfit Dolly wore for her "Shinola" video. Enter here.





Press Rounds Continue


Dolly this week continues her publicity tour to promote Dolly: Live From London. Watch Tuesday's CNN International Connect The World interview in the player above or by clicking here. As was previously reported, Thursday it's ABC's Good Morning America and NBC's The Jay Leno Show. And although The Joy Behar Show posted on its official Facebook page Wednesday that Dolly's appearance this week on the program will be Thursday, Behar revealed on The View and CNN posted on its website that Dolly's interview has been moved to Friday on the HLN program. The episode's other guest is Mo Rocca. Chattanooga's WDEF on Wednesday posted its interview with Dolly from earlier in the week here. The Toronto Star offered an interview here, and Dolly chatted about Taylor Swift's SNL hosting gig here.

Boxed Set Is Chosen
Thanks to Sharon for alerting me that the new Readers Digest lists the Dolly boxed set as its choice for this year's best music gift for the holidays.


Nov. 11:
'Live' Promotions Continue
Dolly on Monday hosted a CD listening party/DVD premiere in Nashville for her release Dolly: Live From London that attracted the press and the likes of George Jones, Kelli Pickler and Carrie Underwood. Check out a gallery of photos from CMT.com here (and a story here) as well as coverage from The Tennessean here and Country Weekly here. As part of the continuing promotion for the set, she'll be on ABC's Good Morning America on Thursday, as was previously reported. The network is soliciting fan questions to ask her here. Also, she was interviewed by Canada's Metro News in a story here which noted that the Imagination Library documentary The Book Lady will get its television premiere on the CBC the night of Nov. 22 (actually, midnight Nov. 23) on the program Canadian Reflections.


Nov. 10:
Dolly Chats And Chats And Chats


Dolly was making the rounds all over the country Monday, but she never left Nashville. She appeared via satellite on multiple national and local news broadcasts throughout the day, all to promote Tuesday's release of her CD/DVD concert combo, Dolly: Live From London. She was interviewed from Chattanooga to Lexington, Los Angeles to Atlanta, and many cities in between. Check out a clip in the media player above (or click here) from WAGA FOX 5 in Atlanta and one in the player below (or click here) from the local FOX show Good Day LA. National programs included FOX & Friends on FOX News here, CNN Live's Internet broadcast with Regi Aqui here and ABC News NOW here.
        A few new appearances were added Monday for later in the week. The folks at CNN International asked that Dollymania.net pass along that she will appear Tuesday on that network's Connect The World program, which on CNN International North America airs at 5 p.m. Eastern. and encourage readers to submit your questions online here, as she will answer some of them during the show. She has also been added to Friday's CMT Top 20 Countdown, that network announced Monday. That show premieres at 11 a.m. with repeats at 11 a.m. Saturday and 11:30 a.m. Sunday. Several other TV appearances are scheduled this week and have been previously announced here. Check out the TV listings on the left-hand side of the news page for more details.
        In related news: Check out print interviews with music blog The 9513 here and Canadian Broadcasting Company here, and stream the audio from the CD from CMT here (scroll about halfway down the page to see the link to open the player).

More On Walk Event
Nashville's FOX 17 on Monday made available online here a story from Sunday night on Dolly's induction into the Music City Walk of Fame.

'Christmas' On TV
If you want to get your holiday season started off right, check out a Dolly classic the Sunday before Thanksgiving. The Hallmark Channel announced Monday that it will air her 1986 tele-film A Smoky Mountain Christmas at 2 p.m. Nov. 22.


Nov. 9:
Dolly Falls From Aussie Tally
The Very Best Of Dolly Parton, Vol. 1 this week falls off the top 20 country chart on the Australian charts, down from No. 20 last week, the 45th for this two-year-old compilation disc.

Dolly Accepts Walkway Honor
Dolly was on hand Sunday to accept her Music City Walk of Fame star in Nashville. According to press reports, she was introduced by Gov. Phil Bredesen and told the crowd: "It strikes me in a pure place in my heart and in my soul to know that I am part of this wonderful city and all of the wonderful things that have been here." Also on hand to be honored were Kid Rock and Charlie Daniels as well as family members representing the late Ernest Tubb and Tootsie Bess, whom Dolly recalled as "a cross between Miss Kitty on Gunsmoke and Mother Teresa." Read more from The Tennessean here (which also has a photo gallery here) and Fox 17 here.

More Appearances Coming
Dolly will be chatting a couple of times this week with CNN as part of the promotion for Tuesday's Dolly: Live From London release. Thanks to Beth for alerting me that she'll be interviewed on HLN's The Joy Behar Show (9 p.m. Eastern nightly) at some point this coming week (couldn't find an exact date before press time Sunday night), and thanks to Mike for tipping me off that CNN's online reporter Reggie Aqui (his program runs at CNN.com Live from noon until 2 p.m. Eastern weekdays as well as HLN at 2:40) will interview her Monday via satellite, according to a posting on Aqui's Facebook page.

Latest 'Dolly' Reviews
Couple more stunning reviews of the Dolly boxed set came out over the weekend. Billboard's critique, available via Reuters here, says it's a shame that her Sugar Hill recordings aren't represented, but "newcomers and fans alike will find this one remarkably satisfying." The Buffalo News gave it four stars here, opining that the collection focuses on the less-public Dolly who is an astonishing songwriter and singer more than the nationally-known personality she has become in the public eye, calling this "a wonderfully luxuriant package of one of the essential American musical lives."


Nov. 7:
Dolly Joins Leno, GAC Next Week
Dolly's TV appearances are about to begin to promote next week's release of Dolly: Live From London. In addition to Thursday's Good Morning America stop that was previously reported here, it was announced Friday that's she'll appear that same night on NBC's The Jay Leno Show at 10 p.m. However, after the guest list was released, Knoxville News Sentinel columnist Terry Morrow reported here that she won't be on the program in person. Instead, she'll do a videotaped appearance via satellite from Nashville, his "10@10" question-and-answer segment. A couple of appearances on Great American Country (GAC) were also revealed Friday. The album will be profiled on Tuesday's On The Streets about the week's new releases, and Dolly's is slated to guest on the network's Top 20 Country Countdown the following week, Nov. 20.

The Greening Of Dolly's Park
The Knoxville News Sentinel also on Friday profiled efforts at environmental conservation at Dollywood. Check it out here.

Appearance Reminder
Don't forget if you're in Nashville Sunday that you'll be able to see Dolly inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame. As Dollymania.net was the first anywhere to report, Dolly, Charlie Daniels and Kid Rock will be present at the ceremony, which will be held 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. at Hall of Fame Park between 4th and 5th Avenues at Demonbreun Street. The event is free and open to the public.


Nov. 6:
'Dolly' Makes The Chart
Sony's new Dolly boxed set debuts at a respectable No. 59 on the country albums charts this week, the Nov. 14 numbers from Billboard showed, making it one of just two boxed sets in the top 75 country records. Elsewhere on the charts, Steve Martin's The Crow - New Songs for the 5-String Banjo, with its Dolly collaboration, holds steady at No. 2 in its 37th week on the bluegrass albums tally. Brad Paisley's Time Well Wasted, featuring Dolly on "When I Get Where I'm Going," loses three to No. 25 country catalog. The Whip It film soundtrack, with Dolly's "Jolene," falls out of the top 25 soundtrack albums, down from No. 23 in its fourth chart week. Taylor Swift's Fearless regains one to No. 1 country and four at No. 3 pop with 109,000 copies sold in its 51st chart week, while Tim McGraw's Southern Voice falls one to No. 2 country and seven to No. 9 pop with 59,000 units moves in its second week.

Dolly Chats About Statue
Thanks to Tabby for passing along a great Dolly video about her hometown. Check it out here.

'Puppy' Memories
Dolly talks about her first recorded song, "Puppy Love," on AOL's The Boot blog here this week.


Nov. 5:
Dolly Returning To Dollywood Next Year
For those planning their 2010 vacations, Dolly is presently scheduled to make at least three trips to Pigeon Forge, Tenn., next year, a Dollywood spokesperson confirms to Dollymania.net: The park's 25th season opening in March, a May "homecoming" visit for her annual Pigeon Forge Dolly Parade and for KidsFest in June. Although she won't be there for its Smoky Mountain Christmas this year, that festival opens for its 20th season Saturday and concludes on the park's season closing Jan. 2. "I just love spending the holidays with family and friends, so I hope my Smoky Mountain Christmas festival brings families closer together this time of year," Dolly said in a press release. "My wish is for everyone to be wrapped in warm holiday memories, just like the ones of my family that I cherish and hold so dear." The event, which recently won its second consecutive Golden Ticket Award for Best Christmas Event at any theme park worldwide, features several stage shows: Dollywood's Babes In Toyland, Christmas In The Smokies, O Holy Night, 'Twas The Night Before Christmas, Christmas With The Kingdom Heirs and An Appalachian Christmas. Park decorations feature 4 million lights, and The Polar Express 4-D Experience also returns in addition to Santa's Workshop and seasonal food offerings.

Dolly Scheduled For 'GMA'
Presumably as part of her promotions to plug next week's release of Dolly: Live From London, Dolly has been booked as a guest next Thursday, Nov. 12, on ABC's Good Morning America, the network announced Wednesday.

Religion Topic Of TV Appearance
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, actress Sheila Hancock and Dolly will be profiled about their spiritual sides in a program on religion airing in November and December on BBC One, the network revealed Wednesday. The interviews have been conducted by Fern Britton and will each take up one of the four episodes in her Fran Britton Meets . . . series on the channel. Read more from The Guardian here.

'DollySHOP' Opens
Shop.com, which partnered with Dolly Records and CMT.com to offer the Holly Dolly Christmas contest reported here a week ago (one entry per person accepted here through Dec. 13), this week opened a section consisting of Dolly memorabilia from the record label to help promote their partnership. Read the release here and visit the"DollySHOP" section, which includes a video welcome from Dolly, here.

Hear Podcast
Check out a new podcast (featuring an old Dolly interview, song clips, and new interviews with Janis Ian and Laura Cantrell) from Legacy recordings released Wednesday to promote the label's Dolly boxed set here.

Dolly Helps Out Gospel Association
Dolly has donated an autographed tour book for a celebrity auction by the Gospel Music Association. Bidding ends Nov. 15. Check out her item and the other offerings here!

Reba Expands Lead Over Dolly
Reba McEntire this week will extend her lead over Dolly for the most top 10 singles for a female artist in the history of country music, Billboard has revealed. You may recall that Dolly held the record for 21 years, tying with Loretta Lynn at 51 top 10 singles in 1988, taking the position for herself alone the following year, then extending her lead through 1991. McEntire first tied her with 54 in 2005 before Dolly moved up to 55 the following year. McEntire again tied her in 2007 and passed her with 56 in January of this year. The ascent of "Consider Me Gone" to No. 10 this week increased McEntire's lead to two tracks over Dolly at 57 top 10s. (If Dolly's two uncredited duets that made it into the top 10 were added – "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" with Bill Phillips and "I Never Will Marry" with Linda Ronstadt – she'd still be tied with McEntire, but Billboard doesn't count those since the record labels didn't include Dolly's name on the singles.)


Nov. 4:
Ask Dolly A Question On GAC
Great American Country (GAC) is seeking fan questions to ask Dolly in an interview. The deadline to submit your queries is noon Central time Thursday here.

Vote For Dolly At NPR
Dolly is among the 126 nominees being considered by NPR as candidates for its "50 Great Voices" project. Cast your ballot for Dolly here.

More Coverage Of Walk Of Fame
Two days after word of the honor appeared on Dollymania.net, the press release came out Tuesday officially announcing Dolly's induction next weekend in the Music City Walk of Fame. The item was covered by The Tennessean here, Country Standard Time here and CMT.com here.

Another Clip On AOL
Another clip from next week's Dolly: Live From London CD/DVD hit AOL's The Boot website Tuesday: "I Will Always Love You." Watch it here. In related news, the album's first official music video, "Here You Come Again" (already released to GAC), on Tuesday also became available on CMT. Watch it on CMT.com here.

Another Critic Loves 'Dolly'
Check out another review raving about the Dolly boxed set, this one from Blog Critics here.


Nov. 3:
Dolly To Attend Ceremony
Dolly is scheduled to appear in Nashville next weekend to accept her induction into the city's Music City Walk of Fame, Dollymania.net has confirmed. A spokesperson for the event told the site that Dolly, Charlie Daniels and Kid Rock, the season's three living inductees, are all scheduled to be in attendance at the event. As was reported here Sunday night, the 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. Sunday ceremony (at Hall of Fame Park in downtown Nashville between 4th and 5th Avenues at Demonbreun Street) is free and open to the public. Being inducted posthumously are Ernest Tubb and Tootsie Bess.

Stampede Has 'London'
Thanks to Matt for alerting me that fans who want to get Dolly: Live From London may want to stop in at the Pigeon Forge location of Dolly's Dixie Stampede. He reports that when he visited the restaurant recently they were selling the excess stock of the single-CD-case version and single-DVD-case version of the concert that had been sold over the summer as fund-raisers by public television stations. The new commercial version hitting retail stores next week (available here) has the two discs combined into one case. In related news, USA Today highlighted the set's "haunting . . . ethereal" track "Little Sparrow" in a piece here Monday.

Vote For 'Barbie'
Dolly's music video for "Backwoods Barbie" is among the ones for which fans may vote in Great American County's (GAC) top 50 videos of the year competition. Cast your ballot here.

CMT Talks About 'Dolly'
CMT.com's blogs offered insight into the new Dolly boxed set Monday with a column here.

'Angel' On TV Next Month
Dolly's 1996 holiday classic Unlikely Angel will return to television this season, it was announced Monday. The film will be a part of the more than 200 hours of holiday programming in ABC Family's "25 Days Of Christmas," which kicks off Dec. 1. Dolly's two hours will be 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 21.

S.C. Gets Another Library
Dolly's Imagination Library literacy program is on its way to Anderson, S.C., The Anderson Independent Mail reported here Monday.


Nov. 2:
Music City Walk Of Fame Names Dolly
Dolly will be among the seventh class of inductees into the relatively new Music City Walk of Fame in Nashville next weekend, it has been announced. No word yet on whether she will actually be in attendance at the ceremony, which is open to the public, but pretty much all past living inductees have attended the previous six ceremonies. The induction will take place from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. next Sunday, Nov. 8, at Hall of Fame Park in downtown Nashville between 4th and 5th Avenues at Demonbreun Street. Other inductees are Kid Rock, Ernest Tubb, Tootsie Bess and Charlie Daniels. The Walk is a project of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau's charitable foundation in association with presenting sponsor Gibson Guitars and other sponsors Great American Country (GAC), the city of Nashville and Metro Parks. It was created in 2006 and has inducted a new class every six months. Previous inductees include Reba McEntire, Roy Orbison, Emmylou Harris, Wynonna, Barbara Mandrell, Jimi Hendrix, Vince Gill, Hank Williams, Martina McBride, Little Richard and Marty Stuart. Thanks, Johnny!

Sliding A Tad In Aussie Tally
The Very Best Of Dolly Parton, Vol. 1 sticks around for a 45th week on the top 20 Australian country albums chart, it was announced, with the two-year-old collection slipping two to No. 20.

Listen To 'Love' Duet
If you want to hear a snippet of Dolly's new duet with Kenny Rogers, "Tell Me That You Love Me," Amazon.com has added brief samples of the tracks from his new Time Life CD Kenny Rogers: The Greatest Duets (the duet is also available on the label's simultaneously-released three-CD boxed set Kenny Rogers: The First 50 Years). Visit the site here and scroll down to access the samples. Thanks, Jeremy!