Dolly Parton’s First Performance

Dolly Parton’s extraordinary career as a singer and star performer began on a rainy Saturday afternoon on September 17, 1967, at the new Edison High School on Franconia Road. She appeared with country music star Porter Wagoner and his band as part of a fund-raising event for the Franconia Volunteer Fire Department.

Dolly was part of Wagoner’s singing group that backed up the band and lead singer, Norma Jean.  But Norma Jean decided to get married that weekend, leaving Wagoner without a lead singer.  He turned to Dolly, then a teenager, telling the audience that he thought they would like her.  Singing songs that she had written herself; Dolly was an immediate hit with the sold-out crowd.

The event was put together by young Max Mandel, a 1964 graduate of Edison, who was attending Virginia Tech.  He was also a volunteer firefighter at Franconia, and grew up living with his parents on Rose Hill Drive.  In college, Max worked as a disc jockey, playing country music for the campus radio station.  There he met Carlton Haney, a Roanoke promoter who arranged shows for Wagoner and Johnny Cash in Virginia, ,West Virginia, the Carolinas and Tennessee.

Mandel talked Haney into scheduling an event with Wagoner in Northern Virginia. He worked with the fire department, arranging the use of Edison’s auditorium, selling tickets and program ads to help make it a success.  He went on to work with Wagoner’s group, getting to know Parton while drinking soft drinks backstage.  She called him “Stan,” probably because he resembled Stanley Laurel of the famous Laurel and Hardy comedy twosome.

Of course, Parton went on to become one of the top entertainers in the nation, from the Grand Ole Opry to the stage and screen, including being honored at the Kennedy Center in 2006 for a lifetime of excellence in the arts.

Dolly is still going strong, and it all began right here in Franconia!    


FRANCONIA REMEMBERS:

This is one of the Franconia Museum’s occasional articles highlighting the area’s history.  If you would like for a friend to receive these FREE articles, contact us at franconia.museum.newsletter@gmail.com.  Memberships are also encouraged, so that we can continue our work.  The Museum is located in the Franconia Government Center, currently located at 6121 Franconia Road, Alexandria, Virginia 22310.  The hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. The Museum is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization, as approved by the Internal Revenue Service.

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• Franconia Museum, 6121 Franconia Rd, Franconia, VA 22310 

Open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Questions: Call Carl Sell at 703-971-4716 or email sellcarl@aol.com