There is no doubt Dolly Parton is an icon. She has written over 3,000 songs, had numerous #1 hits worldwide, sold millions of records, won countless awards and is a talented actress, earning an Oscar nomination for her performance in the cult film ‘9 to 5′.

Now anticipation is building for Dolly Parton’s forthcoming UK arena tour and the return of the most popular female country music artist of all time. Dolly will play to over 100,000 fans across 8 dates making this her biggest UK tour for many years.

To coincide with the tour and to celebrate her outstanding career, Sony BMG is releasing a deluxe collectors tour edition box set on 9th June 2008.

Comprising 4 CDs of music spanning the decades Dolly Parton: The Tour Collection features for the first time on CD tracks such as “Love”, “You’re So Beautiful Tonight”, “Bubbling Over”, “Love With Me” and “Release Me” as well as tracks which are being released for the first time in the UK, including “Games People Play”, “Wings Of A Dove”, “Robert” and “Green Eyed Boy”.

CD1 brings together some of Dolly’s most beautiful love songs such as “Love Is Like A Butterfly”, “Yellow Roses”, “Most Of All Why”, not forgetting her most successful track ever the classic kiss-off ballad “I Will Always Love You”.

CD2 includes a unique collection of wonderful cover versions. With her trademark country sound, she gives new life to classic numbers from the likes of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jackie Wilson and the Beatles.

CD3 takes you on a journey back to where it all started for Dolly with songs full of reflection and nostalgia for her beloved Smoky Mountains, such as “My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy”, “Daddy’s Moonshine Still” and “My Tennessee Mountain Home”.

Rounding off this unique collection, CD4 features a selection of duets and multi-vocal songs with an impressive range of musical icons; Alison Krauss, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Billy Ray Cyrus, Willie Nelson, Porter Wagoner, Kenny Rogers, Julio Iglesias Emmylou Harris, Tammy Wynette and more.

The box also boasts a extensive sleevenotes all presented in lavish packaging – truly a must have collection for every Dolly Parton fan.

In addition to the boxset, Sony BMG will re-release The Very Best Of Dolly Parton on 23rd June, 2008 (initially released in 2007 it has sold 209,000 copies and is her highest ever charting UK album to date). This fabulous collection includes the massive hit singles “9 to 5″, “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You”.

Dolly Parton: The Tour Collection Tracklist (Provisional – subject to final confirmation)

CD1

LOVE

1. Love Is Like A Butterfly
2. Cowgirl And The Dandy
3. Love, You’re So Beautiful Tonight
4. But You Know I Love You
5. Most Of All Why
6. Falling Out Of Love With Me
7. Bubblin’ Over
8. Yellow Roses
9. Fool For Your Love
10. I Will Always Love You (original version)
11. Because I Love You
12. Sweet Music Man
13. You Are
14. Real Love (with Kenny Rogers)
15. Lovin’ You
16. I’ll Make Your Bed
17. Love With Me
18. Hold Me
19. Sweet Summer Lovin’
20. Tie Our Love (In A Double Knot)

CD2

COVERS

1. (Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher And Higher
2. Life’s Like Poetry
3. Help!
4. Boulder To Birmingham
5. Release Me
6. Once In A Very Blue Moon
7. In the Ghetto
8. Harper Valley PTA
9. Games People Play
10. Put A Little Love In Your Heart
11. Starting Over Again
12. Even A Fool Would Let Go
13. Great Balls Of Fire
14. Time For Me To Fly
15. Save The Last Dance For Me
16. Send Me The Pillow That You Dream On
17. D-I-V-O-R-C-E
18. The Carroll County Accident
19. Detroit City
20. Wings Of A Dove

CD3

MOUNTAIN MEMORIES

1. Just The Way I Am
2. In The Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)
3. What Will Baby Be
4. Daddy’s Working Boots
5. JJ Sneed
6. My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy
7. Daddy Come And Get Me
8. Take Me Back
9. Blackie, Kentucky
10. Robert
11. Chas
12. My Tennessee Mountain Home
13. Chicken Every Sunday
14. Mama Say A Prayer
15. I’m Doing This For Your Sake
16. Early Morning Breeze
17. Green Eyed Boy
18. Daddy’s Moonshine Still
19. Daddy Was An Old Time Preacher Man
20. Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No.8 )

CD4

DUETS

1. Romeo (with Mary Chapin Carpenter, Billy Ray Cyrus, Kathy Mattea, Pam Tillis and Tanya Tucker)
2. I Really Don’t Want To Know (with Willie Nelson)
3. Islands In The Stream (with Kenny Rogers)
4. Full Circle (with Rodney Crowell and Lari White)
5. Rockin’ Years (with Ricky van Shelton)
6. Whenever Forever Comes (with Collin Raye)
7. When You Tell Me That You Love Me (with Julio Iglesias)
8. Do I Ever Cross Your Mind (with Chet Atkins)
9. (You Got Me Over) A Heartache Tonight (with Billly Dean)
10. Everything Is Beautiful (In It’s Own Way) (with Willie Nelson)
11. Lovesick Blues (with Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn)
12. I Still Miss Someone (with Martina McBride)
13. I Feel The Blues Movin’ In (with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris)
14. Love Is Strange (with Kenny Rogers)
15. Baby It’s Cold Outside (with Rod Stewart)
16. When I Get Where I’m Going (with Brad Paisley)
17. More Where That Came From (with Alison Krauss, Ricky Skaggs and Mary Chapin Carpenter)
19. A Violet And A Rose (with Pam Tillis)
20. Jeannie’s Afraid Of The Dark (with Porter Wagoner)

Dolly Parton 2008 UK Tour dates:

Dates could be added or changed! Go to Dolly Parton’s Official Website for the latest tour dates and information.

24th June Belfast Odyssey Arena
27th June Glasgow SECC
28th June Manchester MEN
29th June Glasgow SECC
1st July Nottingham Nottingham Arena
2nd July Birmingham NIA
4th July Cardiff International Arena
5th July London O2 Arena
6th July London O2 Arena

Dolly Parton – The Tour Collection on amazon.co.uk

Dolly Parton on amazon.com

Dolly Parton Official Website

Ray Lamontagne’s latest single “Jolene” off of his debut album Trouble is set for release in the UK on May 7, 2007. (The single is not a cover of Dolly Parton’s song “Jolene” by the way.)

Last year I watched Ray Lamontagne perform his single, “Trouble” live at the Top of the Pops studios in London. The other performances that day were by Muse, Guillemots, Ne-Yo, Busta Rhymes and The Fratellis. It was quite an eclectic mix of artists and it’s certainly not every day that you get the chance to see them all together in the same place performing for an intimate studio audience.

Before the bands were due to go on, I remember seeing Ray walking around the Top of the Pops studio and also outside in the BBC courtyard area. There were a couple times that I wanted to go up to him to say hi and that I too am a New Englander who once lived in New Hampshire and spent summers in his home state of Maine. But a rumor was going around that he was shy and didn’t like “being approached”. I’m not sure if it’s true or not, but because of it I didn’t approach him. Oh well. Maybe another time.

Watch the video of Ray Lamontagne performing “Trouble” on Top of the Pops.

Watch a video of Ray Lamontagne performing his single “Jolene”

08/18 Folks Festival Lyons, CO
10/16 St. Davids Cardiff, UK
10/17 Manchester Apollo Manchester, UK
10/18 St Georges Bradford, UK
10/19 Opera House Blackpool, UK
10/22 Olympia Dublin, IE
10/23 Olympia Dublin, IE
10/26 Dome Brighton, UK
10/27 Colston Hall Bristol, UK
10/28 Pavillions Plymouth, UK
10/29 Guildhall Southampton, UK
10/31 Music Hall Aberdeen, UK
11/01 Card Hall Dundee, UK
11/02 Playhouse Edinburgh, UK
11/04 Civic Hall Wolverhampton, UK
11/05 Royal Albert Hall London, UK
11/06 Royal Albert Hall London, UK

Ray Lamontagne Official Website
Ray Lamontagne on Myspace
14th Floor Records

By: Jenny May