Dolly Parton’s Songs in Symphony: Inside Dolly’s Spectacular New Show—And How to Get Tickets! (Exclusive)
From ‘Jolene’ to ‘Here I Come Again,’ Dolly’s new show is a “symphonic homage” to her greatest hits
Key Takeaways
- Dolly Parton's symphony show celebrates her legacy with orchestra, videos & 3 vocalists.
- The 90-minute show features 17 songs, from "Jolene" to "I Will Always Love You."
- Tickets are available now through November in cities across the U.S. via dollysymphony.com.
On a summer night in 1959, a 13-year-old Dolly Parton made her live debut at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Introduced by Johnny Cash, she walked onto the legendary stage, sang George Jones’ “You Gotta Be My Baby,” earned three encores—and has been dazzling audiences ever since. For nearly six decades, Dolly has filled concert halls and arenas around the world. So a few years ago, when she and her publishers pitched the Nashville Symphony on creating a “symphonic homage” to her life and work, the answer was an easy yes. The result is Dolly Parton in Symphony: Threads, a celebration of her extraordinary legacy.
Last week, Woman’s World attended the show in Nashville—and stepped backstage into a recreation of Dolly’s iconic dressing rooms from over the years. We also caught up with the show’s lead vocalists Katelyn Drye, Hollie Hammel and Julie Williams, who perform Dolly’s tunes every night. They dished on what Dolly means to them, their favorite songs and what it was like finally meeting the icon.
Whether you’re a lifelong Dolly fan, looking to get tickets or simply want to know what this new show is all about, you’re in the right place! We’re sharing everything you need to know—from the expansive setlist to what it’s like inside the theater, to how you can see the show in a city near you and more!
What is Dolly Parton’s ‘Threads: My Songs In Symphony’?
Rather than a traditional concert, Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony unfolds as a cinematic celebration of the country icon’s extraordinary life and career. With Dolly herself appearing on screen, she virtually guides audiences onscreen through stories behind her music. The production pairs visuals with lush new orchestral arrangements by conductor David Hamilton, who performs alongside guest vocalists and musicians on stage.
The program weaves together classics—including “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You”—with personal favorites and even a preview of an unreleased song from her upcoming Broadway musical (which Woman’s World previewed last summer!), creating a heartfelt tribute.
Meet the 3 “Dollys”—the talented vocalists behind the magic!
While dozens of talented people work together to create this musical magic night after night, the three vocalists who bring Dolly’s songs to life truly steal the show. Each brings her own unique style and passion to the performance—and meeting them backstage ahead of the show was an extra special treat! The backstage “dressing room” was a replica inspired by Dolly’s various spaces over the years. Filled with handwritten notes from fans, sheet music, a beautiful piano and acoustic guitar and framed photos of Dolly galore, walking through the room is like taking a musical stroll down memory lane.
Katelyn Drye, a singer-songwriter based in Nashville, is one half of the country duo, The Dryes, alongside her husband Derek. After appearing on season 22 of The Voice, the pair sought guidance from their coach Blake Shelton and now continue to write, record and perform across the country. During Dolly’s symphony show, the Dryes perform “Islands In the Stream” together.
When we caught up with Katelyn backstage before the show, her excitement was palpable. “My whole life I have always told people that I would meet Dolly,” she told Woman’s World. “I am a person who speaks very boldly a lot of times about my dreams. My husband and I feel blessed to be a part of this show. I look back at my journey and I see all the little dots that led me here and I’m very thankful for it.”
Julie Williams is part of Nashville’s buzzing Americana scene after being named one of CMT’s Next Women of Country and Billboard’s Country Rookie. She’s also a member of the Black Opry Revue and her recent song, “The Women Who Made Me,” is a sweeping ‘90s country-inspired tune—complete with a music video starring country legend Trisha Yearwood.
“I first got the call to audition for the show when I was getting off a plane,” Julie said backstage. “Then I checked my email and saw the subject line: ‘audition to sing for Dolly Parton’ and I immediately started screaming. I auditioned with ‘Jolene’ and ‘The Coat of Many Colors.’ It’s now been over a year touring with the show and it truly gets better every single night.”
Rounding out the trio is Hollie Hammel, a Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter and producer. Originally from Nashville, Hollie has toured with a range of artists from Joss Stone to Hans Zimmer and Brandi Carlile. Backstage ahead of the show, Hollie shared some of her favorite moments leading up to the show’s premiere including the time Dolly sat in during a rehearsal.
“Dolly was up in the box listening,” she said. “Quite literally the best moment of my life was getting a standing ovation from Dolly. I will never forget that. And getting to meet her—she was just as kind as everyone says. Now, whenever I’m doubting myself I think back to that night. I think to myself, if I got Dolly’s stamp of approval, who am I to not believe in myself? It was really, really encouraging.”
Inside Dolly’s symphony show—and why it’s so special
Stepping into the theater to see Dolly’s song catalog performed with a symphony is nothing short of magical. After taking our seats, the full orchestra played background music as the lights dimmed. Then, Dolly appeared virtually to greet the crowd and continued popping in throughout the show as emcee.
“The threads of my life are woven together through my songs,” Dolly told the audience. “That’s why this project, Threads: My Songs In Symphony, is so special to me.”
The symphony, beautifully led by David Hamilton, played 17 songs in total with each of the three vocalists leading on different songs, but sometimes harmonizing together and hopping off the stage to dance and sing with fans in the crowd.
Between the flawless stage production, the musicians’ onstage enthusiasm, the vocalists’ eye-catching ensembles and Dolly’s “visits” where she shared the heartfelt, real-life stories behind her songs—from anecdotes about her Porter Wagoner days to the real woman behind her hit “Jolene” and more—the 90-minute show went by quickly.
There’s something uniquely moving about being in Dolly’s presence (even virtually!) while hearing her legendary songs come to life with the power of a full orchestra. Overall, the show was both grand and intimate. Throughout, the audience laughed, sang, danced and cried and definitely left the theater feeling a little closer to the beloved Queen of Country.
Setlist for Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs In Symphony
The “summer celebration” residency with the Nashville symphony ran from June through July with a 17-song set list featuring Dolly’s most beloved tunes. The program is listed below.
Threads Overture
Two Doors Down
My Tennessee Mountain Home
Blue Smoke
The Bridge
Better Get to Livin’
Jolene
If You Hadn’t Been There (from her upcoming Broadway musical)
Backwoods Barbie
Eagle When She Flies
Light of a Clear Blue Morning
Here You Come Again
Islands in the Stream
Coat of Many Colors
Travelin’ Thru
Baby I’m Burnin’
I Will Always Love You
How to get tickets to Dolly’s symphony show
Ready to experience this magical show for yourself? Tickets for Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony are available through each venue’s orchestra’s box office. Fans can find ticket links and a complete tour schedule on the show’s official website, where they’ll be directed to the appropriate symphony for their chosen performance.
Remaining 2026 dates and cities:
- Aug. 29–30—Columbus, Ohio
- Sept. 11–13—Indianapolis, Indiana
- Sept. 19–20—Kansas City, Missouri
- Oct. 9–10—Dallas, Texas
- Oct. 16–17—Louisville, Kentucky
- Oct. 30–Nov. 1 — Houston, Texas
- Nov. 7–8—Cincinnati, Ohio
For more information, visit dollysymphony.com.
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