Blue Smoke

Last night I got to cross another thing off my bucket list by seeing Dolly Parton in concert (I had seen her at the Grand Ole Opry some years back but she only sang three songs and didn't have much time). I must confess I had a big goofy grin and tears in my eyes because I was so very happy and thankful I was able to be sitting there listening to her sing and tell stories as only Dolly can. I will attempt to retell some of those but my apologies because I'll not write them near as good as she told them. The concert was about two hours long and she sang songs from her new album, Blue Smoke (if you don't have it yet go buy the CD or download it), as well as some of her most well known and loved hits from the long extensive career. I'll be honest I was a little worried when the concert started because the sound wasn't good at the venue I was at and I couldn't hear the first song but thankfully it got straightened out. Enough about that, let's get to the details of the concert!

She told how she and her husband are soon to celebrate 40-something years of marriage and how it was the only marriage for either of them. She said I've been married to the same man all these years but as many things that I've had nipped and tucked my husband swears he's been married to at least three different women! Before she sang the song Jolene she told how a woman really had been flirting with her husband then she said I kept my husband and made enough money from the song to buy a couple of wigs. One of, if not, my favorite songs by her is Coat of Many Colors and she talked a little about her mom before she sang that. You could tell how much she loves and misses her mom. She played the auto harp on that song and before she started singing she said every time she sings that song she feels like she's holding her mom in her lap while she is playing the auto harp. She talked a lot about her faith in God and sang a medley of religious songs including my favorite, Precious Memories.She said how she thanked God everyday for her blessings and for her fans because they have helped her live her dreams. Her grandpa was a preacher and she told how he would sometimes tell her not to wear that makeup because she wasn't going to get into heaven with all that and she told him, well I really do want to go to heaven but do I have to look like hell. Her father couldn't read or write and that inspired her to start her Imagination Library program that is now  world wide. She sang a lot of songs that were influenced from being raised in the mountains and talked about her dad She talked about him and how he was a farmer and he went up north to Detroit to work at a factory but he missed the mountains, his wife and family so came back after a couple of weeks. As she was talking you could tell she was trying to hold back the tears and she said I don't want to get all emotional so she then went to sing the song Smoky Mountain Memories (a beautiful song by the way). I loved how she said that she thinks one of the best gifts God gives us is memories because with beautiful memories no one ever really leaves us and if we miss someone or start missing home we can just go back and pick up a memory that can take us back to those people and places. Before she started singing one song she said I have to sing this song every time or someone gets mad. Then she asked do you all like sad songs, I love them but this one just made me plumb pitiful. The song was Little Sparrow, a song I love but will have to agree with her about just how sad it is but some of my favorite songs are just absolutely, unbelievably sad. Now to some more of the funny little things she did/said. She played the banjo, dulcimer, harmonica, penny whistle, guitar and fiddle. Oh, but I can't forget the saxophone, on one of instrumental parts of a song she brought out a little (literally) saxophone and said I got this little saxophone and I'm feeling a little 'saxy' and I'm going to try to play it for you. I've been practicing. When she was playing the banjo during one song a string broke and after she finished she said I don't have time to change it but I got one more song to sing and play the banjo so I'm just going to play a four string banjo for you. Lastly, as she was taking the guitar strap over her head to give it back to the person that was getting it from her she started fixing her hair and said I don't want to break my hair. Some of the songs she sang from her new album included: Blue Smoke, Don't Think Twice and Banks of the Ohio. Then some of her other hits she sang included: Why'd You Come In Here Looking Like That (love this song), Two Doors Down, Old Flames Can't Hold A Candle To You and 9 to 5. She sang I Will Always Love You as her encore. It was a great show and if I never get the opportunity to see her again in concert, but I hope I do, I'll always cherish this concert. I recently saw an interview with Dolly and the interviewer mentioned how she was worth a lot of money and Dolly said, 'I count my blessings not my money.' I respect and love her talent but also that she has never forgotten where she came from, helps people and just all around seems to have a genuine sweet and caring personality to go with that amazingly positive attitude.

As if this wasn't long enough already here is a video of one of her songs from her new cd Blue Smoke.