Netflix gave us front row seats to be part of an unforgettable night celebrating American singer and songwriter Dolly Parton and all of her greatest achievements.
This jam-packed evening consisted of numerous renditions of Dolly’s greatest hits from her career, celebrated by a wide range of iconic artists such as Katy Perry and Yolanda Adams.
Miley Cyrus (Dolly’s Goddaughter) opened the show with a performance of ‘Islands in the Stream alongside Shawn Mendes and Mark Ronson. Miley pays a loving tribute to Dolly who she refers to as her Fairy Godmother, by explaining that she is really one of a kind and that she “joyfully shares her Godmother with us all.”
The star-studded evening was hosted by country group Little Big Town, who admitted to being Dolly’s ultimate fans, they also performed their own version of Everything’s Beautiful in its Own Way.
All performances were supported by the accompaniment of a show-stopping backing band, listened to in awe by the music industry audience, who had all come to commemorate Dolly’s music and memories, which will leave the most rewarding legacy.
Heart-warming performances ruled the night, like Katy Perry and Kacey Musgraves who sang top hit Here You Come Again, which spent five weeks at the top of the US Billboard country charts in 1977.
Throughout the night we listened to a range of fan favourites performed by a line-up of different artists who all shared this insurmountable love for Dolly and her music.
Two personal highlights of the evening have to be the beautiful performance of I Will Always Love You sung by Gospel star Yolanda Adams, and secondly the upbeat performance of Parton’s most memorable song ‘9 to 5 by Chris Stapleton. What an iconic song.
This tribute was all in aid of recognising Dolly’s 2019 accomplishment of being awarded “Person of the Year” by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. She is also the first country artist to receive this honour, emphasising just how amazing her work is and the legacy she has left on the music industry.
Netflix also take the time to reflect on Dolly’s early life where she started out in Tennessee as one of 11 siblings, she has previously described her family as “dirt poor” and when reflecting on her start in life, it is a huge credit to her how far she has come.
Dolly steals the show as always, from the moment she takes the stage all the way to the end of the night. Her inspiring speech embodies her powerful and humorous aura which lights up every room.
The final performance of the evening commences with a performance of Coat of Many Colours’ the song which Parton describes as “got me here.”
This was a spectacular evening for an award-winning star, celebrating all her success over the last 75 years. Several artists took a trip down memory lane reminiscing on the collaborative work they had done with Dolly and it was refreshing to hear their own take on her songs.
If you enjoy this concert as much as I did, then I highly recommend watching the biographical documentary Dolly Parton: Here I am’ which is also available on Netflix and provides a more hard-hitting focus on her life.
This tribute concert was a fantastic watch, with some of Dolly Parton’s songs remain stuck in my head for hours upon end. The Netflix hit is must watch for all music lovers and for those such as myself who love all things Dolly Parton.
Dolly Parton: A MusiCares Tribute is available to stream on Netflix.
Rating 8/10
By Courtney Harrison
Feature image: Netflix