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Dolly Parton stole the show in 1972 Vancouver debut

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With Dolly Parton’s Pure and Simple tour making a stop in Vancouver on Monday night, we thought it might be fun to root through the archives for photos of the country music legend in her earlier days.

Our search turned up this charming picture, from a 1972 appearance at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre:

February 20 1972. Dolly Parton performs as part of the Porter Wagoner show at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Dan Scott/Vancouver Sun. For a John Mackie story. [PNG Merlin Archive]

February 20 1972. Dolly Parton performs as part of the Porter Wagoner show at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Dan Scott/Vancouver Sun.

It seems crazy to imagine an evening with Parton where she isn’t the main draw, but Dolly wasn’t the headliner that night. At the time, the Jolene singer was five years into a partnership with fellow Country Music Hall of Famer Porter Wagoner (and two years away from releasing Jolene). She came to Vancouver as part of Wagoner’s traveling show, backed by his band, The Wagonmasters.

Two years later, Parton would end the partnership to focus on her solo career, eventually telling CMT, “I was trying to get away on my own because I had promised to stay with Porter’s show for five years. I had been there for seven.” Parton’s break with Wagoner would lead her to write the classic song, “I Will Always Love You”.

But while Parton’s appearance in Vancouver came in what was supposed to be the final year of Parton and Wagoner’s partnership, there was little sign that Dolly wanted a change, even if it was clear by then that she was soon to eclipse him, if she hadn’t already.

“She has written most of the music for their duet series and her assertive, melodious voice tends to overshadow her partner,” wrote reviewer Bill Smith.  

Dolly Parton performs as part of the Porter Wagoner show at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

Dolly Parton performs as part of the Porter Wagoner show at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

At one point, Parton asked the audience to applaud for Wagoner. “But even that late in the program I was still more interested in applauding Dolly’s total profile and her powerful musical voice,” wrote Smith, who also couldn’t help but mention her beauty: “I can tell you her physical presence opened the eyes of all but those in the very back rows, the more understandable because this was her first visit to Vancouver.”

Country music legend Dolly Parton takes Rogers Arena Sept. 19.

Country music legend Dolly Parton takes Rogers Arena Sept. 19.

44 years later, Parton still manages to captivate. This week, the 70-year-old even achieved viral video fame for a rendition of Jolene performed with American a cappella ensemble Pentatonix. The video has been viewed 7.5 million times in four days.

While we were digging, we also turned up this photo, dated 1980, of Terry Fox holding a photo signed by the eight-time Grammy winner. As the Terry Fox Run was yesterday, it seemed appropriate to include.

Undated photo of Terry Fox with picture of Dolly Parton.

Undated photo of Terry Fox with picture of Dolly Parton.


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