In 1988, Dolly appeared on one of Bob Hope’s many classic Christmas specials. This year, Dolly and Bob played reindeer in a skit--Dolly as Donner and Bob as Rudolph. In the skit, Donner had to convince Rudolph that Christmas was, in fact a wonderful season of giving and sharing. Along the way, the iconic comedian took full advantage of his beautiful costar’s presence to pepper the special with political zingers and harmless sexual innuendos as only Hope could deliver.
Dolly was inducted into the East Tennessee Hall of Fame for the Performing Arts in October 1988. At the award ceremony, Dolly got laughs - when the projection of a tribute to her did not work. Dolly quickly responded with her famously quick-wit,
“How do you like me so far?”
The East Tennessee Hall of Fame is housed in the Bijou Theatre in Knoxville, TN.
In 1988, Dolly received the Small Town America Hall of Fame Award, an honor that celebrated her small town upbringing in her hometown of Sevierville, TN. In addition, the award recognized her efforts to give back to the community where she grew up in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Part musical, part rodeo and Wild West show, Dolly Parton's Stampede thundered into Pigeon Forge, Tenn., in June of 1988, with a mix of music, food and fun. More than a year earlier, Dolly Parton along with other developers came up with this concept and brought it to fruition.
The original show was called “The Life and Times of Billy Kincaid,” featuring the adventures of a young man from Tennessee who heads West. Along the journey, he encountered Wild West legends, such as Wild Bill Hickok, Chief Sitting Bull and Calamity Jane and took part in raids and shootouts. For guests, it was a one-of-a-kind, Wild West musical comedy.
Dolly invited her guests to choose a side, North or South. While rodeo performers, trick riders, and even audience members competed on the stage, the audience rooted for their side.
The performance was only part of the attraction. The other star of the show would be the feast, which was brought on chuck wagons. Each guest’s meal included a two-pound roasted chicken per person, barbecued ribs, baked potato, corn on the cob and dessert. It was a dinner that would not leave you hungry.
Dolly opened her theme park’s front gates to welcome some of country music’s best at her new Dolly Parton’s Celebrity Theater. The theater hosted the new ‘Showcase of Stars’ concert series.
This state-of-the-art, 1,739-seat theater debuted with a display featuring Dolly’s friends and fellow musicians. The concert series delighted guests of Dollywood. 'Showcase of Stars' featuring performances by the biggest names in country music, all from Dolly’s home in East Tennessee!
