Dolly Parton fabulous at Fox Theater in St. Louis

In case it never occurred to you, an evening with Dolly (do I have to say the last name?) Parton is an evening very well spent. The country legend played to a sell-out crowd Thurs., Aug 14 at the Fox in St. Louis, MO.

Parton, touring in support of her Backwoods Barbie album, perfectly mixed new and old during a near 2-hour show, playing 20 songs as part of her joyful set. And when Parton's on stage, you know you're hearing how country did, does, and should sound.

The musical library in Parton's pocket is enough to make any newcomer jealous and the legend skillfully played to the crowd's liking of old favorites, with sprinklings of new material from Barbie. She could not have done it better. We heard "Jolene" next to "Little, But I'm Loud." She did "Backwoods Barbie" and "Coat of Many Colors" followed by a medley of hymns and a bluegrassy "Shattered Image." There was a little bit of everything that Dolly had to offer, all bundled and packaged neatly within the 2-hour show.

During the evening, Parton played at least 7 instruments, from the banjo, fiddle, dulcimer... you name it, she played it. She sang with her backup singers in a lovely acapella section, and she even had a "country boy" dance with her during "Thank God I'm A Country Girl." The "Country Ken" had Dolly asking, "Ain't he cute girls? Ain't he cute boys?" Oh, Dolly.

If you haven't seen Dolly live, you probably would be shocked to know just how funny she is, too. Parton joked about her looks ("it takes a lot of money to look this cheap"), the presidential race ("I'd never run...there's been enough boobs in the White House"), and her dreams as a child ("I wanted to be the town tramp").

If Parton didn't have the audience singing, she had them laughing... or standing, which they did often, treating Parton to several ovations throughout the show.

Personally, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Being a college kid, I was one of the youngest members of the crowd, made mostly of middle-aged to "older folks, but I couldn't have enjoyed myself more.

The thing with Dolly is this - there was no fancy lighting; there were no fireworks. The show was about Dolly. And in return, it was about the songs and the stories that went with them. You don't see that often in the world of music these days. The show had class - as did Dolly, who changed from a gorgeous purple dress to a flashy business suit style outfit.

She may not play to a million fans this year, but Dolly Parton showed the Fox Theater why she is, and always will be, one of the most revered entertainers in country music history. Yes, Dolly, we will always love you.

SET LIST:
"Two Doors Down"
"Why'd You Come In Here Looking Like That?"
"Jolene"
"Thank God I'm A Country Girl"
"I'm Little, But I'm Loud"
"Backwoods Barbie"
"Drives Me Crazy"
"Shattered Image"
"Coat of Many Colors"
Medley of Hymns
"Baby, I'm Burning"
"Better Get To Livin'"
"Shinola"
"Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?"
"Little Sparrow"
"Here You Come Again"
"Islands In the Stream"
"9 to 5"
"I Will Always Love You"
"Jesus & Gravity"