This story appeared in The Daily Smoky Mountain Herald in Sevier County, Tenn., on June 14, 2005, and is copyright © 2005 the Adding Corporation. Reprinted with permission.

By Michelle Karl
                              

      The Country Music Association wrapped up their 2005 CMA Music Festival this past weekend. Thousands of people from across the United States, Canada and various countries came to Nashville to hear their favorite country star perform and get a chance to meet he artists that they listen to all year.

      The show just continues to grow. Many from our area attended this year as in year’s past. Sarah Smith from Hamblen County was in line to meet the group Sugarland and get a signed photo. “It’s a blast coming here,” stated Smith. “This is my fifth year in a row coming to Nashville. It’s a short drive and a great way to get out and have fun listening to county music.”

      Karen Ogle from Sevier County had some of the same comments. “This event is something I look forward to all year. The husband gets the kids for the weekend, my friends and I come and we have a blast. I thought it was great that Dolly was performing this year.”

      In fact, Dolly Parton was one of the most well received artists to hit the stage. She was honored Wednesday night when Country Music Television (CMT) had a special show counting down the top duets in country music history. Dolly and her duet with Kenny Rogers “Islands in the Stream” placed #1. During the taping and for the first time in 15 years, Dolly and Kenny Rogers sang the love song standing side by side. “We thought we were #3 and we were trying to figure out who was #1 and #2,” stated Dolly during a press conference Thursday evening. “Then we got there and they told us it was us. We had the #1 song. That was a big night and Kenny is a precious person. I love that song and never get tired of hearing it.”

      Over 200 great groups and artists participated in this year’s event including but not limited to Montgomery Gentry, Trace Atkins, Julie Roberts, Kenny Rogers, Keith Urban, Phil Vassar, Lee Ann Womack, Alan Jackson, Diamond Rio, Gretchen Wilson, Big & Rich, Wynonna, Trick Pony, SheDaisy, Jo Dee Messina, Craig Morgan, Sugarland, Tricia Yearwood and more. Even newcomer and American Idol winner Carrie Underwood made an appearance.

      Dolly had a chance to talk before going on stage and told a little bit about her return to ‘Fanfare.’ “I’m here working with the Grascals,” stated Dolly. “They are a new bluegrass group and I’ve worked with most of the guys in the group. I sang with them on their song, ‘Viva Las Vegas.’ The song is on their new CD. So I thought it would be appropriate to come down and help them promote their song and tell everyone what I’m doing.”

      Grascals member Jamie Johnson stated about Dolly working on their album. “She didn’t have to do any of that. I think she became a fan of ours and she thought we had the potential to make a career out of this, and also, she did it because she loves us. She didn’t have to do that and I know we probably would not be this far in our career if it wasn’t for her helping us out. A day doesn’t go by that we don’t think of her and thank her. God bless her for doing what she did.”

      Dolly said she loves coming to the musical festival and that it means a lot to her. “This is the first time I’ve been able to do this for a long time and if it wasn’t for the fans we wouldn’t be able to buy our groceries. They spend their money to come here and do this and it’s very touching. I’ve never taken that for granted and I never will. It’s like a family reunion. It’s a way to thank the fans from your own heart.”

      When The Herald asked Dolly if she planned another tour soon she stated, “I’m putting together a new road show now. We are rehearsing all of July and I hope to be going on the road in August because I have a new CD coming out in October. It’s called ‘Those were the Days.’ I’m doing a lot of songs from the past and on the tour I’ll be doing a lot of songs from the CD. I’m calling it ‘The Vintage Tour.’”

      Dolly said she will have a great mix of songs on her new CD. “I’ve used a lot of old artists and I have a lot of guest stars singing on the CD with me including Norah Jones and Keith Urban. Norah has already sang on ‘Where have all the Flowers Gone.’”

      Besides singing Dolly is still dabbling in acting. She recently appeared on an episode of “Reba.” “I’ve been wanting to do Reba’s show for years and I couldn’t do it but I had some time off in February so I faxed her in January and said if you’re still doing the show I want to come on.”

      Rumor has it that Dolly was offered her own television show while in Los Angeles. Dolly just giggled when asked. “I’d like to do more film. I haven’t been offered really good roles lately but I’d love to do another ‘Steel Magnolias’ or ‘Nine to Five.’ But I am doing music. I’ve been asked to do the music for a new Broadway musical ‘Nine to Five’ and I have written a whole bunch of songs. I’m sure I’ll have to write a lot more. They will go to Broadway next year and I’m very excited about that. I’m still working on my life story as a musical so I have a lot of things going on.”

      Closer to home Dolly is looking forward to the kick-off of KidsFest on Saturday and says there are a lot of great things planned. She is also working on other projects for children. Dolly told The Herald, “I’m very involved in the kids’ thing (referring to the television show she is planning for children). I just wrote a children’s book and I’m working on a children’s album and I’d still want to do a children’s show. . . . maybe when I’m a little bit older . . . in a year or two.”

      Referring to the big show in Nashville, Dolly said that it doesn’t matter who she sings to. It can be a small group or thousands. “I like them all, small and large audiences,” stated Dolly. “But the larger groups sure have a lot more energy!”