I started writing about this a month or so ago, figured I would finish it while I'm convalescing at home tonight.
Maya Judd reminded me of the day Dolly Parton came to my office at Gibson. It was just Dolly's birthday and the whole day was seriously one of those magical moments in time that I wanted to write it down just to relive it.
Every year when I worked at Gibson the Songwriters Hall Of Fame would come and do their rehearsals for the show with producer Phil Ramone in our showroom, which used to be The Hit Factory Recording Studio. Gibson took over four of the studios from The Hit Factory when it went out of business in 2005. I first met Phil Ramone in the early 90's when I was working as a receptionist at Conway Recording Studios in Los Angeles. He was always very sweet and I remember one thing he said, "always wanted to name my daughter Shannon Ramone" which I thought would be a killer name!
But back to the story at hand, SHOF brought some of the biggest names in music into the Gibson Showroom, it was pretty incredible throughout the years who walked through the doors and how many little private concerts we all partook in, one year I had the pleasure of working with Bill Withers and he serenaded me with "Ain't No Sunshine" in a 10'x10' room we hung out in by ourselves, magical.
A few years ago Dolly Parton was being honored, I'm thinking this was 2008, knowing that Dolly was coming to rehearse I was so excited I didn't know what to do with myself. Quite honestly I've pretty much met everyone at this point but Dolly is one of the biggest tour de forces in my life, the woman has won every award out there, came from nothing, became one of the most famous people on the planet, amazing singer & songwriter and everyone says wonderful things about her. She is my hero.
I can't remember how Maya got pulled into this whole thing, but she is a HUGE Dolly fan too. So the plan was Maya, my friend Erin Feinberg and I were all going to meet Dolly Parton the next day and Erin being a photographer was going to take the photos.
Well the next day came, and so did Maya with a bottle of $100 tequila. We were all so nervous to meet her we needed to drink. Listening to Dolly in my office we drank a little tequila to calm us down.
She finally arrived in all her Dolly-glory. Total little power packed peanut, huge hair, make up, boobs, nails and shoes. She went right in and performed 9 to 5.
When she came out Phil's assistant Nancy introduced us crazy fans to Ms Parton. I was completely tongue tied. She signed a guitar for me and we took a photo. I kept telling her "I was going to Dollywood" and she kept saying, "well you're just gonna have the best time!"
Maya presented Dolly with a very old Polaroid photo of Dolly she bought at a garage sale. Dolly looked at the photo and said "I don't think that's me" Then she looked again, "well, that's my gee-tar, and that's my hair, and that's my dress, but I don't think that's me" Her manager looked at the photo and said "yes it's you". She seemed stunned, I think we determined her to be 19 years old in the photo.
We held Dolly hostage for a bit longer taking photos and asking her all types of questions. Of course the only thing coming out of my mouth was "Dollywood" oh jeez.
She was gracious and kind, just like you would want her to be.
After she left we were all on cloud 9 so we drank tequila until it was almost gone and listened to our favorite Dolly songs.
Nancy, Phil Ramone's assistant who's known me for years looked at me flabbergasted. "I've never seen you act that way"
Nope, she hadn't. Dolly Parton had me tongue tied.
PS - I can't post my Dolly picture, cos I think I look like crap. But I have it here in my heart. So I'll share this hot pic of Dolly from the 70s.
