It’s turning out to be an All-Dolly Summer.
With the ongoing “Journey of a Seeker” exhibition at Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum, plus the opening of SongTeller Hotel (which comes with its own Dolly’s Life of Many Colors Museum), the city of Nashville is awash with Dolly Parton magic … even more so than usual. Add in the two‑month run of Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony, and you’ve got a true season of joy.
Taking place now through July 31 at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, the seven‑week engagement features 37 showings of a special orchestral production that tells Parton’s iconic story in a new, sophisticated way. Yet this is a symphony with a delightfully Dolly twist.
Nashville Lifestyles spoke with four of the show’s seven rotating vocalists to see what makes it unique. Parton doesn’t appear in person, and it’s not like her famous songs are lacking public exposure. So, what makes this David Hamilton composed production worth working into your summer plans? As it turns out, even the cast finds it mesmerizing.
“Every time we get into rehearsal, I’m like, ‘It never gets old. It’s just timeless,” Hollie Hammel says.
Joining Hammel are Katelyn Drye, Blair Lamb, and Julie Williams, plus vocalists Kiley Phillips, Ally Jackson, and Katie Basden, who round out the talented cast. Every performance features a group of three singers, taking turns to highlight a different aspect of Parton’s legendary career. Even after touring the country since March of 2025, they’re discovering new things to enjoy.
“There’s always something that’s fresh and something that’s new,” Lamb explains. “Even with multiple nights in the same place, the audience is different every night, so you never know what you’re going to get.” The big selling point seems to be this: the performances are not just stuffy orchestral rehashes of songs like “My Tennessee Mountain Home” or “Light of a Clear Blue Morning.” The symphony does add an epic sweep of string‑laden sophistication to Parton’s down‑home tunes of wisdom and perseverance. The conductors for the summer series, David Hamilton and Brian Eads, lead an ensemble of roughly 80 classically trained musicians, who are the epitome of class and professionalism. And it is an opportunity to dress up in a fancy gown or tux. But the atmosphere is relaxed, and, as with any Dolly concert, the audience is encouraged to join in. Sometimes, they just need a little encouragement.
“Some of them, we have to give them permission to get up and dance because people are used to symphony shows where you’re supposed to sit back and observe,” Williams admits. “So right from the beginning, right in ‘Blue Smoke,’ Katelyn says, ‘Okay, y’all, get up and dance! I want you to clap your hands, move your feet!’”
“Throughout the show, they feel like they have a little bit more and more permission to be moving,” she goes on. “So, by the time we get to the end of the show and ‘9 to 5,’ people are up and dancing. It’s really fun!”
As always, a big part of that fun is Parton herself. No, she doesn’t physically take the stage, but the beloved entertainer did record a series of new videos to tell the story behind her songs — often in hilarious candor. Serving as a co‑producer on the show with Schirmer Theatrical, Parton paid attention to every detail, from the song choices themselves to the perfectly timed jokes she delivers on camera — which legend has it were all done in a single take. Even through a giant video screen, Parton’s poise and personality get the crowd roaring with laughter or feeling an inspirational tug on their heartstrings.
“I never even get sick of her videos,” Williams shares. “Every time I hear one, it feels like she’s talking to me, and I hear something different every time I go out and sing. It really feels like she’s with us every show.”
“It’s a history lesson. It’s comedy. It’s like you’ll learn things that you would’ve never known,” adds Hammel, who often sings one of the night’s biggest numbers: “I Will Always Love You.”
“I think sometimes people are bummed that she’s not actually there, but then when they come, I’ve heard it almost every show from someone: They’ll say it felt like she was there,” Drye says.
“Actually, I think the videos turn the show from just a Dolly tribute show to a truly transformative experience, an actual Dolly Parton experience,” Williams concludes.
When it comes to the ongoing run of Nashville shows, each singer admits to an added hometown thrill. It’s Parton’s 80th birthday year, and they’ve been looking forward to sharing the show with family and friends. If they can change the perception of what a symphony show is like — with a little help from Dolly — even better.
“We are having fun up there no matter what’s going on in the audience,” Hammel says with a laugh. “It’s a miracle that we’ve all become the closest of friends.”
“One hundred percent,” Williams adds. “And I feel like that attests to Dolly because that’s her spirit — just loving women, and what we all share. No matter what mood we’re all in, because touring can be hard when you’re constantly going. When we get there, and it’s showtime, we always join hands. We say a little prayer every time, and we go out on stage and just have fun with each other.”
They hope to leave the crowd with that same feeling and reacquaint people with the timeless magic of Parton’s music — whether they’re lifelong fans or curious converts.
“That’s what we pray every night before we go out,” Drye says. “There are people who walk in with all different stories, and our job is to make them feel something. To feel joy, because that’s Dolly’s spirit.”