In the summer of 2014, Dolly performed at the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts. When she took to the Pyramid stage, it was said that all the other stages were empty and even the performers were likely gathered to see her concert. In a sharp contrast to the famous Glastonbury mud, Dolly greeted her fans in a white rhinestone-covered pants suit.
She sang many of her hits including "Coat of Many Colors," and "9 to 5" while the eager young audience sang along, many wearing blond wigs in admiration. The security staff even choreographed their own moves to "Jolene."
The festival staff had been trying to book Dolly since their very first event back in 1970. However, the timing of her touring schedule did not work out until now. Dolly was excited to perform at Glastonbury and especially admired the large farm that hosts the annual event. She said,
"I'm just a country girl and now I feel like a rock star."
The BBC aired the entire event and made it available on their networks around the world. During the performance, Bon Jovi’s Richie Sambora joined in on Dolly’s version of "Lay Your Hands On Me." The song appears on Dolly’s album, "Blue Smoke" as a spiritual tune.
Before the event, Dolly received a special presentation marking her total career album sales surpassing 100 million worldwide.
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts is a five-day music and arts event. The festival hosts multiple stages and is set on Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, England.
One of the highlights of Dolly’s 42nd album 'Blue Smoke' is the duet 'You Can’t Make Old Friends,' recorded with one of her most beloved singing partners Kenny Rogers. The song is a poignant reflection of enduring friendship.
Rogers said of this, his first duet with Dolly since 1985’s 'Real Love,'
“We really are those kind of friends, where you can't make old friends. Dolly knows me like a book, and I know her like a book. So this is the perfect idea for a song for us."
Dolly calls Rogers her "best friend" and talks about how she is glad she got to "walk that road" with the man she sang one of the most loved duets of all time, "Islands in the Stream."
The song was nominated for a 2014 GRAMMY Award in the Best Country Duo/Group Performance category. This was the third GRAMMY-nominated collaboration for Dolly and Kenny! Other nominated collaborations include 'Islands in the Stream' and 'Real Love.'
[masterslider id="28"]
Dolly launched her "Blue Smoke" World Tour in Rancho Mirage, California, playing to more than 40 audiences across North America, Europe, and Australia.
She mentioned how excited she was to start the tour,
“It’s always great to perform at home in the good ole USA. We’re kicking off our Blue Smoke World Tour right here at home. I love traveling all over the world, but it’s true, there’s nothing like home.”
Dolly toured in support of her 42nd studio album "Blue Smoke," the title of which comes from the Cherokee word "Sha-Kon-O-Hey," which means "Land of the Blue Smoke."
The tour was officially announced on "The Queen Latifah Show" in October 2013.
Dolly starred in "Unlikely Angel," a made-for-television film, as Ruby Diamond, a selfish country singer who is granted a second chance at salvation by St. Peter (Roddy McDowall) after she dies in a car accident. If Ruby is able to help reunite and heal a suburban family suffering after the passage of their mother (by midnight on Christmas Eve) she will be given her wings. If she fails to reunite the family, Ruby would head for far smokier shores.
Dolly was also an executive producer for the project and provided some original songs ("Wat'cha Tryin'na Do" and "Unlikely Angel"). "Unlikely Angel" premiered on CBS on Dec. 17, 1996.
