A Dolly Parton Exhibit Is Coming To The Grand Ole Opry

In honor of Dolly Parton‘s impressive 50th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry, the Opry House will…

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

August 22, 2019

2:16 pm

Dolly Parton; Photo Courtesy of Grand Ole Opry Archives, Chris Hollo

In honor of Dolly Parton‘s impressive 50th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry, the Opry House will host a special exhibit highlighting the legendary entertainer’s time as a member of the Opry family.

Launching September 3, Dolly: My Opry Memories will feature 24 wardrobe pieces worn by the superstar either on the Opry stage or at events held at the Ryman Auditorium. Additionally, the exhibit will include exclusive photos and rarely seen Opry performance clips.

Among the wardrobe pieces that will be included in the exhibit are the dress Parton wore on the night of her Opry induction in 1969, the gown she wore in 1995 for a special duet of her mega-hit “I Will Always Love You” with Vince Gill and an ensemble she wore when she surprised fans during the 40th anniversary celebration of Reba McEntire’s Opry induction in 2017.

Tickets for the exhibit only are $17, while a $12 ticket will be available for those who add it to the purchase of an Opry backstage tour. Fans can visit the Opry’s official website for details. Dolly: My Opry Memories will run through October 31.

Along with the exhibit, The Opry Shop located inside the Opry House will feature a collection of 11 custom-designed items celebrating Parton’s Opry milestone.

Additionally, flagship station WSM will turn its Opry Nashville streaming channel to “Dolly Radio” to coincide with the launch of the exhibit. Fans can listen to “Dolly Radio” via WSMonline.com and the station’s free mobile app.

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.