Dear Dolly Part'ners,

The busy world of Dolly Parton continues & we are here to bring you all the news & information on the great lady. Please keep your letters & e-mail's coming in. We do like to hear from you. We have another great competition for you with some wonderful Dolly CD's to win. Our e-mail address is Dollypartnersuk@talk21.com

Trio II wins Grammy

It seems that there are awards for almost anything these days. However, the Grammys are one of the most respected awards ceremonies in the world. Therefore it was great news to hear that Dolly, along with Emmylou Harris & Linda Ronstadt won "Best Country Vocal Collaboration" for "After The Goldrush". The awards took place on the 22^nd February & Emmylou was there to receive the award, stating that she couldn't wait to call Dolly & Linda with the news. This makes it Dolly's 5^th Grammy.

Keeping with awards & nominations we can inform you that "After the Goldrush" has been nominated for "Vocal Event" at the Academy of Country Music Awards", to be aired Stateside on the 3^rd May.

Dolly has also been asked to host this programme, which has been without a host for the past two years. Now if only we could see this on our TV screens, we would have a full 3 hours of Dolly and who knows she may award herself for the vocal event. (Dolly currently has 5 ACM awards).

On February 22^nd Dolly was nominated along with Emmylou Harris & Kim Richey, in the Orville H Gibson Guitar Awards for "Best Female Country Guitarist". Unfortunately Dolly lost out to Kim Richey for this one.

However, Dolly did win a trophy from the Association of American Publishers recently. This was in recognition of Dolly's Imagination Library Programme for the Dollywood Foundation. You may recall that this is one of the ways Dolly contributes to the education of her home county, Sevierville. She provides a free book every month to every child of preschool age. This project is currently under negotiation to go nationwide.

A recent programme on Channel 4 "Top Ten Love Songs", voted Dolly's "I Will Always Love You" as the 5^th biggest love song of all time in the UK.

Finally, "The Grass Is Blue" has been nominated for its first award. The Association of Independent Music has nominated Dolly's latest CD as "Best Bluegrass Album". The awards programme takes place in May.

CDs to look out for

Dolly has announced that her latest CD project will be an all-folk offering. The folk songs will be those Dolly has heard sung throughout the Appalachians and that have been handed down through the generations. The songs will originate from England, Ireland & Scotland, many of which are still being sung today in Dolly's home country.

"Silver Dagger" is to be the next single release from "The Grass is Blue", although not available commercially, the single is being shipped to Folk radio stations across the US.

In a previous Dolly Part'ners UK newsletter we mentioned the Australian release of "Two Doors Down". We can now confirm that it has the same remixes as the US version, although the artwork is different. The catalogue no. Is Active PDJ143DS and features 5 songs including the Bounce "Peace Train", Sparkys Piano Club Mix. We have one copy of this CD single to give away in our competition, along with other Dolly goodies.

"Walking on Sunshine" has also been released as a 4-track c.d. single in Australia: Active PDJ142DS. This one once again features no new remixes but also has "Sparkys Funky Club Mix of Peace Train" on the CD.

As mentioned in previous newsletters Dolly is no longer tied to a record label, which means she has the freedom to record whatever & with whomever she wishes. It seems it is payback time for Bryan Sutton, the guitarist from Dolly's latest CD album, "The Grass is Blue". Dolly has recorded a track for Bryan's new release on Sugar Hill "Ready to Go". The song is one of Dolly's all-time classics, "Smoky Mountain Memories", which should be available from all reputable Import shops now.

Kathie Lee Gifford's debut country CD "Born to You" also features our Country Diva on two songs:"Only My Pillow Knows" & "Circle Game" due in April. Kathie Lee Gifford has recently left the popular US chat show "Regis & Lee" to pursue a music career & guess what, Dolly is currently winning viewers votes to replace Kathie on the TV programme. It seems that what goes around, comes around!

Two more duet albums follow with the Country Icon providing her beautiful voice to those of Freddy Fender & Hal Ketchum on their respective new CDs, although no further details are available at present.

Dolly Live & On TV

It appears that Dolly's heavy film schedule this year (she currently has 3 movies on the go!) will restrict the number of public appearances she makes. Apart from the recent Opryland Hotel concert there are currently only 2 further concerts pencilled in. There will be a benefit concert on October 7^th at Amory, Mississippi for the "Stars over Mississippi" educational scholarship fundraising, when Dolly will headline. Secondly, she is due to perform her usual Dollywood Foundation concert at Christmas this year instead of the Grand Opening Parade in April or her September visit to Dollywood.

The Grand Opening will have Dolly in her usual attendance at Dollywood even though there will be no concert. We would like to WISH DOLLY & ALL HER FANS A FANTASTIC TIME for the opening ceremonies & only wish that we could all be there. Don't forget you can order merchandise direct from Dollywood, as Mr. & Mrs. Brett from Cambridge recently reminded us, by phoning 001 423 428 9445.

Dolly Part'ners UK subscriber, Steve Ballinger wrote to us recently reminding us of the several appearances of our Country Queen on UK TV screens over the Christmas period. "Unlikely Angel" was shown on BBC1 & "Dollywood or Bust" a Channel 5 documentary was shown on Boxing Day. Both Steve & Dale Mitchell asked whether there was any news about the Elton John production "Women Talking Dirty" & the release of "Jolene", well unfortunately we have heard nothing yet. Although we do know the film was shown at the Cannes Film Festival.

A documentary is in the making for one of the most famous Country Music artists of all time. Chet Atkins (guitarist & RCA Records producer & cofounder of the "Nashville Sound") will have his life story filmed at the famed RCA Studio B & his close friend Dolly has contributed to the event.

"The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" has been re-released on video in the UK with slightly different cover-work.

Odds & Ends

Dolly has decided to sell her Radio Stations WDLY-FM & WSEV-AM as she says they have gone as far as she could take them and it makes good business sense. Hopefully the new owners will be able to expand the Stations even further and naturally the call letters WDLY will have to be changed, as they are so closely associated with Dolly.

It was reported in a national newspaper that Dolly & her ex-manager, Sandy Gallin were on the guest list for the engagement of Michael Douglas to English actress, Catherine Zeta Jones. Whether they actually attended we do not know.

Dolly Part'ners UK reader J Michael Harrison kindly informed us he was in the news again. Well actually in a magazine. Sainsburys ran a feature on Michael & his Dolly collection in their Store magazine, which included a picture of Michael with a Dolly stand-up & that famous piece of Dolly's music room carpet. He also informed us that in the "Tennessean" newspaper Dolly was named No. 10 personality with Tennessee ties. Elvis Presley was at NO.1. Also Dolly was featured on the cover of December 1999’s "Bluegrass Unlimited" magazine as well as "Bluegrass Now".

If you are ever lucky enough to visit Pigeon Forge, as well as taking in the delights of Dollywood & Gatlinburg a visit to the Dixie Stampede is essential. This is a huge restaurant/arena where you can watch reenactments of the American Civil War on horseback, whilst tucking in to Southern Fried chicken & Coca-Cola. Dolly owns the Stampede & is now looking to open up similar Dixie Stampedes in Orlando, Florida and in the Gold Coast region of Australia.

If you are into line dancing you may already be aware that the 3-million selling single by Dolly & Kenny Rogers, "Islands in the Stream" has made a comeback. It appears the song has been adapted to a line-dance & is in the Top 3 line-dances of the UK.

A number of Dolly Part'ners UK members have asked when Buddha Records will be releasing future Dolly CDs Buddha have stated that they are extremely pleased with sales of the 4 recent releases & will wait several months now before anymore will be made, so they can recoup on the present sales.

It seems we hit upon a subject dear to your hearts when we mentioned in Issue 8 of Dolly Part'ners UK, that it is about time someone issued a compilation video of Dolly's songs. To our reckoning there have been 25 Dolly songs made into videos & yet no-one has had the sense to put them all together & release them to the fans. This would surely be a major coupe for any Company. If anyone knows who we can write to out there to get this into motion then please let us know.

Well, Dolly fans that is all for now. Please continue to write to us with any Dolly news or information.

Best Wishes.

Michael & Joe

NOW IT'S COMPETITION TIME.

We have 4 fantastic prizes to give away. Simply answer the following questions & send your replies to the Joe Skelly address above. Please state your preference from the following prizes:

1) Australian "Two Doors Down" CD single.

2) RCA re-release "Just The Way I Am"-not available in shops.

3) Promo CD "The Grass Is Blue".

4) Large format Dolly Tour Book, with lots of pictures included.

Don't worry if you do not know all the answers. We will pick the winners from a hat at random & notify you in a future Dolly Part'ners UK newsletter of the answers & winners.

1. What is Dolly's Date of Birth?
2. Name any two of her brothers or sisters.
3. Who was Dolly's co-star in "Rhinestone"?
4. What was Dolly's first No. 1 Country single?
5. What is Dolly's middle name?
6. What is the printing mistake on the back of the Dolly in London Video?
7. What is the name of Dolly's Autobiography?
8. What colour vinyl was the famous Baby I'm Burnin' 12 inch released on?
9. Which song does Dolly often sing in concert speeded up?
10. What is the title of the album that Dolly says she wrote 37 songs for whilst fasting in her Tennessee mountain home in the Smokies?

Good luck with your answers & please send them direct to Joe's address in Cumbria as soon as possible.

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