{"id":71467,"date":"2026-08-27T19:30:27","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T19:30:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/27\/that-time-dolly-parton-was-booked-to-open-for-neil-young\/"},"modified":"2026-08-27T19:30:27","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T19:30:27","slug":"that-time-dolly-parton-was-booked-to-open-for-neil-young","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/27\/that-time-dolly-parton-was-booked-to-open-for-neil-young\/","title":{"rendered":"That Time Dolly Parton Was Booked to Open for Neil Young"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tAt first glance, this add for the <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/scontent-lga3-2.xx.fbcdn.net\/v\/t39.99422-6\/786801835_1073331081760022_1350939141437838420_n.png?stp=dst-jpg_tt6&amp;cstp=mx618x960&amp;ctp=s618x960&amp;_nc_cat=101&amp;ccb=1-7&amp;_nc_sid=127cfc&amp;_nc_ohc=-RCTxMUJkiYQ7kNvwEpDgIM&amp;_nc_oc=AdqyrTx5JAPQOe0mSaDhJmuqBAMAEbSlLzCPvkoG4XhlxXUR5aAh2FJUBURWxpgyE7U&amp;_nc_zt=14&amp;_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-2.xx&amp;_nc_gid=6AN_verNUnBUw8WFeGtdDA&amp;_nc_ss=7b2a8&amp;oh=00_AQE4FFK8Ff1JKCbMHsmZGB_ooAS2GXH8B8d4qfe6mDMX3A&amp;oe=6A963AAE\">September 1978 concert lineup<\/a> in Cleveland, Ohio, seems like a weird joke or some sort of AI hallucination. There are indeed listenings for very famous, very real tours like Black Sabbath\/Van Halen, Thin Lizzy\/AC\/DC, Yes, and Frank Zappa. But there\u2019s also a Sept. 22 announcement for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/t\/neil-young\/\" id=\"auto-tag_neil-young\" data-tag=\"neil-young\">Neil Young<\/a> and Crazy Horse with special guest <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/t\/dolly-parton\/\" id=\"auto-tag_dolly-parton\" data-tag=\"dolly-parton\">Dolly Parton<\/a> at the Richfield Coliseum.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\">\n<p>\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Dolly Parton - Baby I&amp;apos;m Burnin&amp;apos; (Official Video)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NYwyUMk_ofo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tThis double billing seemingly makes no sense since Dolly was near the pinnacle of her fame in 1978, scoring crossover hits like \u201cTwo Doors Down\u201d and \u201cBaby I\u2019m Burnin\u2019,\u201d and even appearing on the cover of <em>Playboy<\/em>. And this was Young\u2019s legendary <em>Rust Never Sleep<\/em> tour with Crazy Horse, where he debuted aggressive new songs \u201cSedan Delivery\u201d and \u201cHey Hey, My My (Into the Black),\u201d and played epic renditions of \u201cLike a Hurricane\u201d and \u201cTonight\u2019s the Night.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tAs crazy as it sounds, this isn\u2019t some dispatch from an alternative universe. Neil Young did originally book Dolly Parton as the opening act for four dates on his 1978 fall tour of arenas and amphitheaters. \u201cWe are not the least bit concerned about how she will go over with Young\u2019s fans,\u201d Jim Morey, Parton\u2019s manager, told <em>Billboard<\/em> in their Sept. 23, 1978 issue. \u201cNobody knows Young\u2019s fans better than he does, and he wouldn\u2019t have put Dolly Parton on his show if he did not think that she would appeal to his audience.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tThe article notes that Parton, who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-country\/dolly-parton-dead-obit-1234810193\/\">died<\/a> Aug. 25 at 80, was added to the tour after the shows had already sold out, meaning the crowd would be \u201cmade up almost entirely of Neil Young fans.\u201d \u201cParton has no plans to change her music for the Young shows, beyond shortening her set somewhat,\u201d notes the article. \u201c[Morey] adds that beyond the Young dates there are no plans for Parton to do other dates with other rock artists.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\">\n<p>\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Already One (2016 Remaster)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/d0iyypR8EiA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tA key bit of context for this is that event though it went down in history as the <em>Rust Never Sleep<\/em> tour, Young didn\u2019t actually release that album until 1979. The electric songs were recorded onstage during these shows. And when it was booked, Young\u2019s new album was <em>Comes a Time<\/em>. It was the closest thing to a country record he\u2019d recorded up to that point, with songs like \u201cLotta Love,\u201d \u201cLook Out for My Love,\u201d and \u201cComes a Time\u201d that would have been very palatable to a Dolly Parton audience.<\/p>\n<section class=\"brands-most-popular \/\/ editors-pick-module lrv-u-margin-tb-2 lrv-u-border-a-2 u-box-shadow-5-5 lrv-u-padding-lr-1 a-span1 u-padding-b-1@tablet u-overflow-hidden\">\n<h2 id=\"section-heading\" class=\"c-heading larva  lrv-u-text-align-center u-border-color-black a-font-theme-primary-xxs lrv-u-color-black lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase u-letter-spacing-0063 lrv-u-padding-t-050 u-padding-b-0375@tablet lrv-u-padding-b-050@mobile-max lrv-u-border-b-2\">\n<p>\t\tEditor\u2019s picks<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tStill, many in the industry were stunned by the announcement that they\u2019d actually share a bill. \u201cShe\u2019s taking second billing to Young,\u201d columnist Shirley Eder wrote in the <em>Buffalo News<\/em> on Sept. 17, 1978. \u201cI couldn\u2019t believe that when I heard it but it\u2019s true. Why would platinum, country-pop, record album selling Dolly Parton play second banana in anybody\u2019s act? We checked it out and learned that Ms. Parton wants Neil Young\u2019s rock audience to become better acquainted with her. You know something, I believe that\u2019s a smart move. Billing isn\u2019t as important as a long-running career. And she could very well be getting more money than Young on the tour.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tBut shortly before the tour was set to begin, word hit the press that Parton wouldn\u2019t actually be involved. \u201cDolly loaded up her wigs and her high heeled sneakers,\u201d reads an Oct. 5, 1978, article in the <em>Salisbury Post,<\/em> \u201cand walked because she was getting second billing and not enough time to perform.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\">\n<p>\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Like a Hurricane - Rust Never Sleeps - Live 1978\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NwWBYj8xagw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tThat\u2019s not exactly how it went down. In reality, Young came up with a totally different concept for the tour shortly before rehearsals began. It involved comically oversized microphones and speaker cabinets, roadies dressed up like Jawas from <em>Star Wars<\/em>, and an extended set divided between electric and acoustic songs. <em>Comes a Time <\/em>wasn\u2019t even on record store shelves yet, but his mind was already onto the next album and newer songs. Nothing about this tour was going to feel even remotely \u201ccountry,\u201d and he wouldn\u2019t even play most of the <em>Comes a Time<\/em> material.<\/p>\n<section class=\"brands-most-popular \/\/ recirculation-modules lrv-u-margin-tb-2 lrv-u-border-a-2 u-box-shadow-5-5 lrv-u-padding-lr-1 a-span1 u-padding-b-1@tablet u-overflow-hidden\">\n<h2 id=\"section-heading\" class=\"c-heading larva  lrv-u-text-align-center u-border-color-black a-font-theme-primary-xxs lrv-u-color-black lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase u-letter-spacing-0063 lrv-u-padding-t-050 u-padding-b-0375@tablet lrv-u-padding-b-050@mobile-max lrv-u-border-b-2\">\n<p>\t\tRelated Content<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\t\u201cThe Neil Young-Dolly Parton tour mentioned in this space recently has now become a Neil Young tour,\u201d reads a Sept. 23, 1978 article in <em>Cashbox.<\/em> \u201cYoung, apparently, decided he doesn\u2019t want an opening act and would rather play longer, half acoustic and half electric with Crazy Horse. Dolly, in the meantime, is preparing a tour of Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\">\n<p>\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Harris, Parton, Ronstadt on Late Show, March 24, 1999 (full, stereo)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/o2XcBL6kWn8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tIf Dolly had hard feelings about how this all went down, she never said a word about it publicly, and she even covered \u201cAfter the Gold Rush with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt in 1999.\u00a0 It\u2019s very possible she figured out losing the tour was for the best, especially judging by Susan Whitall\u2019s review of the Detroit show in <em>Creem.<\/em><\/p>\n<section class=\"brands-most-popular \/\/ recirculation-modules trending-in-article lrv-u-margin-tb-2 lrv-u-border-a-2 u-box-shadow-5-5 lrv-u-padding-lr-1 a-span1 u-padding-b-1@tablet u-overflow-hidden\">\n<h2 id=\"section-heading\" class=\"c-heading larva  lrv-u-text-align-center u-border-color-black a-font-theme-primary-xxs lrv-u-color-black lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase u-letter-spacing-0063 lrv-u-padding-t-050 u-padding-b-0375@tablet lrv-u-padding-b-050@mobile-max lrv-u-border-b-2\">\n<p>\t\tTrending Stories<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\t\u201cDolly Parton was dropped from the show because Neil wanted to do a longer set, half acoustic, half electric, with Crazy Horse,\u201d she wrote.\u00a0 \u201cAnd a good thing: the thought of those long red fingernails twangin that banjo amidst all oft this would have been too much to bear.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tToday, the aborted Dolly\/Neil tour is little more than a historical footnote, while Black Sabbath with Van Halen and Thin Lizzy with AC\/DC that same month have both become incredibly famous examples of the opening acts blowing the main acts off the stage. Dolly would have had a tougher time winning over the rock bros in the audience than Van Halen or AC\/DC, but we like to think she would have held her own. There was a magic to Dolly that charmed nearly everyone.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-features\/dolly-parton-neil-young-rust-never-sleeps-tour-1235616867\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At first glance, this add for the September 1978 concert lineup in Cleveland, Ohio, seems like a weird joke or some sort of AI&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":71468,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-71467","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pop","article","has-excerpt","has-avatar","has-author","has-date","has-comment-count","has-category-meta","has-read-more","thumbnail-"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71467","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71467"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71467\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/71468"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71467"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71467"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71467"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}