Happy Birthday, Dolly Parton! Here’s How The Grand Ole Opry Is Celebrating Her 77th Birthday
Happy Birthday, Dolly Parton! In honor of Parton turning 77 years old on Thursday (Jan. 19), the Grand Ole Opry…
Dolly Parton; 2019 Photo by Chris Hollo © Grand Ole Opry
Happy Birthday, Dolly Parton!
In honor of Parton turning 77 years old on Thursday (Jan. 19), the Grand Ole Opry is gearing up for a weekend-long celebration.
From January 19 -21, the historic Ryman Auditorium will host two shows in addition to the extra fun they have planned. The weekend activities will include 77 Hours of Dolly giveaways on Opry social media, birthday cupcakes baked using Duncan Hines Dolly Parton’s cake mix given to Opry House and Ryman tour guests on Dolly’s January 19 birthday (while supplies last), and a larger-than-life 77th birthday card for fans to sign at the Ryman.
“We love an Opry party and everyone around the world loves Dolly!” said Opry Executive Producer Dan Rogers. “Though Dolly herself can’t be with us this year due to her feature film schedule, I think we can all agree Dolly deserves to be celebrated this year and ever year. We’re going to have some fun Dolly additions to the great schedule of shows lined up for our January run downtown at the Ryman.”
Keeping with the theme, the historic Ryman Auditorium plans to spotlight hits from Parton’s 1977 album, Here You Come Again, throughout the two shows on Saturday (Jan. 21). This project became the “9 To 5” singer’s first platinum album and a crossover smash from country to pop charts and features songs like “Lovin’ You,” “Baby Come Out Tonight” and “Cowgirl & The Dandy.”
The shows will feature a stacked lineup of artists including Chapel Hart, The Fairfield Four, Caitlyn Smith, Marty Stuart, and Chris Young. Since Parton herself cannot be in attendance, a Dolly impersonator will also be present on Ryman Plaza for photos on January 21 during Opry at the Ryman shows.
In addition, $5 from every ticket sold to both of the January 21 shows will be donated to the Opry Trust Fund in Parton’s honor. For more than 50 years, the fund has assisted members of the country music community in need.
For the entire duration of January, the Opry has returned to the Ryman Auditorium for a special one-month run before returning to the Grand Ole Opry House in February.
The artists scheduled to appear throughout the month include Bill Anderson, Lauren Alaina, Terri Clark, Vince Gill, Carly Pearce, Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, Rhonda Vincent, Mark Wills and Chris Young as well as guests including Chapel Hart, The Fairfield Four, Maggie Rose, Charlie Worsham, and more.
A second show has also been added to the schedule for both Jan. 21 and 28.
To purchase tickets for Opry at the Ryman go to Opry.com. Tickets are on sale now for all shows through August 2023 at (615) 871-OPRY and opry.com.
In honor of her birthday week, Parton recently unveiled her expanded line of Duncan Hines products with the launch of four new baking mixes.
The new products, which have begun to hit store shelves nationwide, include Dolly Parton’s Buttermilk Biscuit Mix, Dolly Parton’s Sweet Cornbread & Muffin Mix, Dolly Parton’s Fabulously Fudgy Brownie Mix, and Dolly Parton’s Caramel Turtle Brownie Mix. In addition to the individual products, the collection also features a Parton baking kit, which includes a Dolly-inspired, collectible tea towel and spatula and recipe cards, available exclusively in the kit.
Parton gave fans a sweet surprise when she shared the delicious news on social media.
She wrote, “I’m so excited to launch my new @realduncanhines’ cornbread, biscuits, and brownie mixes. 🧁 Sign-up for a chance to be the first to try them! #duncanhinespartner http://shop.duncanhines.com,” Parton captioned the clip, which featured her inside the kitchen alongside the new baking items.”
The new baking mixes are available in stores nationwide now and on February 8 fans will be able to access the new products online via www.shop.duncanhines.com, while supplies last.
The country music icon is also in the midst of working on her forthcoming rock album. This new project was inspired by her recent induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which gave her the opportunity to step outside of her comfort zone and experiment with a new genre.
Rock Star is set to feature original tunes as well as covers of classic rock hits such as Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” Prince’s “Purple Rain,” Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird,” and more.
Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her masters degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Country Now, she has been published in American Songwriter, Music Mayhem, and Holler.Country. Madeleine O’Connell is a member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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