It was Dolly Parton Day in Wilmington, and the country music star had one question.
"Now what does that allow me to do?" Parton joked.
Parton was in the Port City on May 9, 1978, for a concert at the University
of North Carolina Wilmington's Trask Coliseum. The icon, who died this year on Aug. 25, was enjoying "crossover" success from country to pop music by the late 1970s, thanks in part to songs such as "Here You Come Again."
In a Wilmington Morning Star advertisement on the day of the show, Parton was hailed as "one of the biggest stars in the world" and she's "coming to Wilmington."
According to a story in the May 10, 1978, Wilmington Morning Star, Parton held a news conference before the concert. That's where Parton was given a proclamation from Willis C. Williams, music director at radio station WKLM, declaring May 9 as Dolly Parton Day in Wilmington signed by mayor Ben Halterman.
Parton said it was "a great compliment" and "I really thank you for it.
"Now I know I'm a part of Wilmington."
Known for hits such as "I Will Always Love You," "Coat of Many Colors," "9 to 5" and "Jolene" among others, Parton answered questions about her career, lifestyle and her abilities as a performer.
Parton had just signed a contract with 20th Century Fox to do films. Two years later, she starred in the hit comedy "9 to 5."
She was also planning to work with fellow musicians Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt on an album. They later came together for the album "Trio" in 1987.
Parton laughed when she was called a sex symbol, saying she "always thought that was funny" and that the wigs and clothes were a "gimmick."
That gimmick was on display at the news conference. The story notes Parton wore an "extremely white" wig and was "made up in lavender eye shadow and very red facial tones." Parton "wore high heeled silver shoes and flaming pink nail polish."
Parton was joined at Trask Coliseum by Andrew Gold, who sang the 1977 hit "Lonely Boy" and released a new song "Thank You For Being A Friend," which was later covered as the theme song for the smash 1980s TV show "The Golden Girls."
Owen Hassell is the local news editor for the StarNews. You can reach him at ohassell@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: When Dolly Parton arrived and became 'a part of Wilmington'
