Dolly Parton’s death at age 80 has touched people around the world, as fans reflect on her decadeslong commitment to music and philanthropy.
In Yuma, her death also brought back memories for residents who had the opportunity to see her perform locally.
Yuma resident Valerie Morrill remembers seeing Parton perform at the old Yuma Post Auditorium during the early years of Parton’s career, when she was associated with country music star Porter Wagoner.
The KAWC news team reached out to Laurie Boone, special collections librarian at the Yuma County Library District, to confirm when Parton performed in Yuma and whether archival material from the event was available.
Boone provided KAWC with an archived advertisement published in the Yuma Sun on March 6, 1974, promoting a March 11 performance at the Post Auditorium.
Morrill said news of Parton’s death came as a shock and brought back memories of seeing her perform in Yuma.
“I may tick off some Porter Wagoner fans because she just stole the show,” Morrill said. “I mean, she was his lead singer. It was just incredible to watch her become a part-time singer to the most loved American there is. And this was right before ‘Jolene’ hit the scene, and the world was never the same.”
KOFA Border Radio is paying tribute to Dolly Parton, honoring her life and legacy through her music.
One of the volunteer hosts of KOFA's The Bridge, Dave Riek, produced a special hour dedicated to Dolly Parton.
You can hear the music here: