Fifty years ago today, Dolly Parton released her first full-length studio album, “Hello, I'm Dolly.” The album, which debuted on Monument Records, contained Dolly's hits "Dumb Blonde" (written by Curly Putman) and "Something Fishy" (written by Dolly). Both singles reached the Top 20 on the country singles charts, and the album itself reached #11 on the country albums chart.
Produced by Fred Foster, “Hello, I’m Dolly” caught the attention of Porter Wagoner, who ultimately invited Dolly to become a member of his band and appear on his popular weekly television show. These appearances led to her rise to superstardom and she became a household name.
“I can't believe it's been 50 years since I did my first album,” Dolly recalls. “What a wonderful 50 years it has been. Thanks to my Uncle Bill Owens and Fred Foster for believing in me early on. And thanks to all the fans out there...I hope to have at least another 50 years!”
The album contained Dolly's versions of three songs she wrote that had already been hits for other artists: "Put it Off Until Tomorrow" (Bill Phillips), "Fuel to the Flame" (Skeeter Davis), and "I'm In No Condition" which charted by Hank Williams Jr. Bill Phillips’ recording of “Put it Off Until Tomorrow” featured Dolly on background vocals and won BMI Song of the Year in 1966.
This vintage video shows Dolly performing “Dumb Blonde” on the Cas Walker Show. Watch closely to see her Uncle Bill Owens, featured here on guitar.
Dolly embarked on her first major tour in a decade when she started her "Hello, I’m Dolly" tour on Oct. 14, 2004, in Greenville North Carolina. "Hello, I’m Dolly" was a return to performing at larger venues following 2002’s "Halos and Horns" tour, a more intimate tour based around smaller venues. The tour featured 39 shows across the U.S. and Canada, ending at the Everett Events Center in Everett, Washington on Dec. 19, 2004. The shows featured new lighting, costumes, and video boards.
Dolly talked about what inspired her return to big arena touring and larger production values,
“In 2002, I went on a tour for three months to promote [the Sugar Hill Records bluegrass set 'Halos & Horns']... I realized how much I missed the road and how much the fans seemed to have missed me. It was just magical. I saw that I had some fans about all areas of my career... So I decided to combine all the things that I've done through the years."
For more tour photos click here.
