Since her death Aug. 25, Dolly Parton been remembered with pride around the region as someone who never forgot where she came from. When did Knoxville first recognize her as a local treasure?
Throughout her life, the ""Queen of Country Music" always honored her East Tennessee roots. Parton was born in Locust Ridge in Sevier County, and it was in Knoxville that she got her first big break.
In 1956, Parton's uncle Bill Owens snuck Parton backstage at a WIVK radio show. It was there she met infamous politician, businessman and radio and TV personality Cas Walker, who offered the fledgling country star a chance to shine.
Walker had created the "Farm and Home Hour" variety show to promote his chain of grocery stores. The show, which initially aired
as an influential radio program on WROL, and later WIVK, was where Parton booked her first regular appearances.
It wasn't long after that locals − and the media − started noticing the spunky blonde singer. Here are the first times the Knoxville papers mentioned Dolly.
June 30, 1957
In a special to the Knoxville Journal, it was announced that Maryville's Hillbilly Homecoming would feature Cas Walker's Entertainers, including Carl Butler, Walter and Frankie Bailes, Dolly Parton, "Little Robert" and Billy "The Kid Owens."
Aug. 25, 1962
The Knoxville Journal reported that a 16-year-old Sevier County High School student had released a new record that was "selling well." It included "Sure Gonna Hurt" and "The Love You Gave," which the Journal called Parton's first forays into popular music.
"Miss Parton has appeared on radio and television talent shows since the was 10, singing country, western and religious songs," the article went on.
Sept. 25, 1966
Parton was mentioned for the first time in the Knoxville News Sentinel in an advertisement for a show at the Civic Coliseum: WIVK Country Shindig No. 9. The Oct. 1 concert was to feature Johnny Cash, June Carter, the Statler Bros., George Hamilton IV, the Tennessee Three and, of course, Parton.
May 4, 1967
The first time an article about her appeared in the News Sentinel's pages, it was in a May 4, 1967, special from Morristown, where a Skymart was being dedicated.
The event was to be attended by Governor Buford Ellington and feature a performance by Dolly Parton and Tiny Day. "She has written and sung many songs," the article said.
Hayden Dunbar Evans is the storyteller reporter. Email: hayden.dunbar@knoxnews.com. Instagram: @knoxstoryteller.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: See the first times Dolly Parton's name appeared in Knoxville papers
