Dolly Parton is celebrating her golden anniversary—that’s 50 years—as a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2019.
In honor of the anniversary, the Opry is hosting a new exhibit, Dolly: My Opry Memories, which features 24 wardrobe pieces Dolly has worn on the Opry stage over the last 50 years.
Garments featured in the exhibit include:
- Dress worn on the evening of her Opry induction (1969)
- Gown worn for a duet with fellow Opry member Vince Gill while singing “I Will Always Love You” (1995)
- Ensemble worn during a surprise Opry appearance to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Reba McEntire’s Opry debut (2017)
Also included in the exhibit in the Opry House’s historic Studio A are exclusive videos of Dolly recounting some of her favorite Opry memories, along with rarely seen performance clips spanning her five decades of Opry membership.
Tickets for the exhibit, which runs from Sept. 3 to Oct. 31, are $17.
“It was always my dream to be on the Opry,” says Dolly. “I actually got to sing on the Grand Ole Opry when I was about 10 years old. I officially became a member back in 1969 and I cannot believe [I’m celebrating] 50 proud years of being a member of the Grand Ole Opry! They call it the ‘Mother Church’ because the old Ryman was a church, but it’s sacred to me, wherever it goes—the church of my heart. For me, the Opry is like the song ‘New York, New York’—if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. I am excited to be coming back home to celebrate 50 years of membership.”
The Opry will celebrate Dolly Week in October with a number of performances on Oct. 10, 11 and 12.
- Oct. 10 | Opry Country Classics featuring performances of Dolly’s No. 1 hits
- Oct. 11 | Dolly’s Mountain Soul: Bluegrass, Americana & Roots Music honors Dolly
- Oct. 12 | Dolly Parton’s 50th Grand Ole Opry Anniversary Celebration featuring Dolly Parton and many more (two shows)
Over the course of her career, Dolly has earned eight Grammy Awards, 10 Country Music Association Awards, five Academy of Country Music Awards and three American Music Awards. In 1999, Dolly was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. She has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame—both as a solo artist and as a member of Trio. She became a member of the National Academy of Popular Music Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001. Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) honored her with their Icon Award in 2003, and in 2004 the U.S. Library of Congress presented her with their Living Legend Award. In 2005, she was presented the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government, the National Medal of Arts. Dolly will be honored as MusiCares Person of the Year during Grammy Week in February.
