Dolly Parton’s death has brought back memories of the day more than 20,000 Tasmanians packed into a Hobart oval to see the American country music legend perform.
Parton performed at Glenorchy’s KGV Oval alongside Kenny Rogers nearly four decades ago in 1987.
Glenorchy City councillor Stuart Slade was a police officer assigned to work the concert and remembers the sheer scale of the event.
“You couldn’t see a bit of grass at KGV, it was so packed,” he told Pulse.
Slade said what struck him most was the breadth of Parton’s appeal.
“It amazed me that people from all ages appreciated her music,” he said.
“The people there were sort of anybody from 10 to 80, so that shows you the followings she had.”
The sound from the concert carried well beyond the oval, reaching surrounding suburbs.
“The sound just echoed all throughout that [part] of Glenorchy,” Slade said.
“I live at Berriedale, on the way to work, I was amazed by it.”
Despite the massive crowd, Slade said there was very little trouble on the day.
“Just a little bit of a couple disorderly things that were dealt with very quickly,” he said.
“People just wanted to hear her music.”
He described Parton as “a real professional” who played well to the audience.
ABC Radio Hobart held a sing-along of Parton’s song 9 to 5 in the foyer of its studios this afternoon.
The sing-along was led by Tasmanian musical theatre actor Shannae Shead who recently played Parton in the 2026 production of 9 to 5 the Musical at Hobart’s Playhouse Theatre.
ABC listeners had flooded in with memories of the 1987 Glenorchy concert.
One listener, Rosie, said she took her two daughters to the show while her husband stayed home.
“It was very hot and the girls just sat on the grass and they loved it,” she said.
“Dolly looked amazing and Kenny Rogers looked fantastic and they sang together so well.”
Listener Dean said it was his first ever concert at the age of 13.
Dolly Parton passed away today at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer.
