My Night with Dolly: Chad Sees Dolly Parton in Concert at the Ryman [Video]

You know you're a legend when Reba McEntire has come to see you in concert.  And that's exactly what happened Saturday night at the Ryman in Nashville.  Dolly Parton was playing her second of two sold out shows and there, in the front row in the balcony, was Reba McEntire.  There, in the third row of the balcony, was me.  And I sat there for one hour and 40 minutes just blown away by this bigger-than-life presence that had taken the stage to bring over 2,000 fans to their feet . . . to tears . . . and to the temple of country music, where legends still truly do exist.

I have seen Dolly Parton in concert just one other time.  I saw her at the taping of CMT's presentation of the 100 Greatest Duets.  There were HUGE superstars at that taping: Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Kenny Rogers, Carrie Underwood and more.  But no one, no one received the ovation that Dolly Parton did that night.  And she only really sang one song.  Saturday night at the Ryman, she performed her songbook and it's absolutely full of country and mountain music classics.

You know you're a legend when the third song you perform in your set is "Jolene."

"Jolene" could easily be an encore song.  But not when you're Dolly Parton and you have written and performed some of the biggest hits in the history of country music.  Heck, when you've written some of the biggest hits in the history of MUSIC!  Period.

But what makes Dolly even more special than the music, the hits, is the personality, the hair, the wickedly funny sense of humor and yes, the chest.  In fact, at one point during the show, she let the crowd in on a little secret . . . that she has a microphone tucked down into her cleavage. To prove, she performed a mic check.  In her words, "The Grand Canyon's got nothin' on me."

And there were one-liners all night long.  When her assistant joined her on stage to swap out instruments, Dolly said, "Ladies, ain't he cute?"  Then, without missing a beat, Dolly said, "Boys, ain't he cute!"  And, naturally, a bunch of the boys in the audience went wild.  It was absolutely hysterical and a testament to Dolly's reach and appeal.  Dolly knows her crowd, knows her fans and she plays to them with every breath.

My favorite moment of the night came when she discussed how she became "Dolly" and why "Dolly" dresses and looks the way she does.  It seems her small little mountain town was home to a lady of ill-repute.  A "hooker" as Dolly calls her.  But as a child, Dolly didn't see the reputation.  She just saw her beauty.  And Dolly told her momma she thought the woman of rather ill-repute was "pretty."  And Dolly's momma said, "Oh, she's just trash!"  And Dolly replied, "I want to be like that when I grow up!"  HILARIOUS!

And, so, Dolly started to dress like "trash."  LOL!  And her granddaddy, who was not pleased at all, got onto her and asked "Dolly, don't you want to go to heaven?"  And Dolly answered, "Well, you know I want to go to heaven.  But do I have to look like hell to get there?"

I have been to lots of concerts.  I've seen Janet Jackson unveil a "Black Cat".  I have seen P!nk fly across Bridgestone arena like she's in Cirque du Soleil.  I've seen Cher "Believe" in life after love!  I've seen Patti LaBelle kick off her high heels and roll across the entire length of the stage.  Heck, I've even seen Reba emerge from the trap door decked out as "Fancy." But this is the first time I've ever seen a diva, a legend, "Pure & Simple."  Dolly was just Dolly.  There were no costume changes.  No special effects.  It was Dolly, her songs, the stories behind them and their mesmerizing power.

There were songs inspired by her mother . . .

Songs inspired by her father . . .

And, after belting out hits like "Here You Come Again", "Islands in the Stream," and "9 to 5", Dolly took the stage for her encore.  And everyone, as if instinctively, stood.  And there were were . . . watching the legend . . . perform "I Will Always Love You" at the Ryman, the Mother Church.  The place was silently still.  And absolutely reverent.  It was as if we were listening to the National Anthem of Country Music.  And I must confess.  I simply couldn't speak.  And I could barely breathe.  Her performance was, well, legendary . . .

You know.  I sit in the WBKR studios and play music every morning.  And I like a lot of it.  I even love some of it.  But I can't shake the notion that no one in the new crop of country is going to end up like this.  Like Dolly.

Are the days of real legends gone?  I think they truly may be.  As a matter of fact, the only contemporary act that I can think of that may achieve this status some day  . . . the one that combines voice with personality and wit and longevity . . . is Reba.  And how interesting it was to find Reba sitting in the front row of the balcony watching Dolly with the rest of us.  Appreciating the music, the stories, the moment and the legend.