Hello. I’m Dolly! Dolly Parton Set to Tour

Dolly Parton, one of America’s most beloved superstars, is set to embark on her most extensive tour in 20 years. On the Hello, I’m Dolly tour, audiences will get to travel with the iconic singer, songwriter, entrepreneur and philanthropist through her extensive and eclectic songbook, and relive the songs from every era of her stunning, four decades-long career. Dolly Parton, with special guests The Grascals, will appear at Anaheim’s Arrowhead Pond on Dec 9.

Kicking off in Greenville, South Carolina on October 14, and presented by Moore Entertainment Group, Hello, I’m Dolly will see Dolly Parton perform as she’s never performed before, dipping into every facet of her genre-defying musical career. Fan favorites like the early Appalachian songs that brought her to stardom, the hugely successful pop hits from the 70s and 80s, her work with Kenny Rogers, her favorite numbers from recent albums “Little Sparrow” and “The Grass is Blue” (the most critically acclaimed of her career), and brand-new material from her forthcoming album, “Blue Smoke,” will come to life on stage. Opening act The Grascals, a band of accomplished Nashville musicians (formed officially in 2004 by the formidable talents of Terry Eldredge, Jimmy Mattingly, David Talbot, Jamie Johnson, Danny Roberts and Terry Smith), will join forces with an assortment of other fine musicians for Dolly’s new show.

Boasting a fan-friendly feel, the Hello, I’m Dolly arena venues will be transformed to enhance the intimate experience. The show will feature an exciting array of superior sound, quality lighting, original set design and large video screens that will highlight the striking images of Dolly throughout her illustrious career. And, while this year’s big-name ticket prices are high, Dolly has personally insisted that Hello, I’m Dolly tickets are moderately priced. Local promoters and Moore Entertainment Group expect ticket demand to be great because Dolly has not been on the road for some time, and nor has she shared all of her classics in one setting.

From her humble beginnings to her current status as an internationally recognized cultural icon, Dolly Parton endures with her unique brand of unabashed authenticity. Dolly’s last tour in 2002 hit the small club circuit in support of her most recent bluegrass album, “Halos & Horns.” Now, Hello, I’m Dolly marks the very first time fans can experience the breadth of Dolly’s work — everything they love about their favorite performer, from every decade, including the hits “I Will Always Love You,” “9 to 5,” “Coat of Many Colors,” “Islands in the Stream” and “Jolene.”

Sustaining an enraptured fanbase across the world for decades, why has she chosen to take to the road with career-spanning Hello, I’m Dolly now? According to Dolly, “In 2002, I went on a tour for three months to promote [“Halos & Horns”]. I realized how much I missed the road and how much the fans seemed to have missed me. It was just magical. I saw that I had some fans about all areas of my career, all the way back through the years…some liked the country, some liked the pop, some liked the big production, some loved the bluegrass and the more simple sound. So I decided to combine all the things that I’ve done through the years.” The 2002 “Halos & Horns” tour has been captured in a live DVD and double CD titled “Live And Well,” which was released September 14 on Sugar Hill Records.

Dolly Parton’s continuing work with the Dollywood Foundation has brought her philanthropic endeavors to fruition since 1988. A nonprofit organization, the Dollywood Foundation is home to several charitable programs including the Imagination Library which provides a book a month from birth until age five for all children in the 255 communities from 34 states in which it operates. (www.dollywoodfoundation.com)

The Dollywood theme park in Tennessee is a continued success for the local community, ranking in the Top 50 most attended theme parks in the world and entertaining more than two million visitors annually.