Show notes
WIVK spent the entire morning paying tribute to Dolly Parton following news of her death at age 80. WIVK temporarily became “107.7 Dolly,” with nothing but Dolly music, stories, memories, and special guests all morning long.
The show reflected on how quickly the news spread, from a text message asking, “Did Dolly die?” to confirmation from an announcement posted by her nephew.
Listeners shared local tributes happening across East Tennessee, including students wearing Dolly-themed clothing and pink and purple, flowers being left at the Dolly mural in downtown Knoxville, and calls for Dolly decals on Tennessee football helmets this season.
Peggy from WIVK, one of the station’s biggest Dolly fans, joined the show to talk about her lifelong love of Dolly, her Dolly butterfly tattoo, and the many times she saw her in person. Peggy said she was heartbroken but comforted knowing Dolly was reunited with her husband and family.
The show replayed a memorable interview Joey had with Dolly during a Dollywood opening day event. Dolly talked about honoring her parents and said she hoped she had brought honor to their name through her work.
Former WIVK executive and Knox County Criminal Court Clerk Mike Hammond shared stories about Dolly dating WIVK legend Bobby Denton, recording her first music connections through the station, and attending the station’s 50th anniversary celebration alongside country music’s biggest stars.
A caller named Autumn shared a childhood memory of visiting Cas Walker while her aunt cared for him. She recalled Walker mistaking her for Dolly and calling out for her to sing.
Beth Haynes joined the show and shared some of her favorite moments interviewing Dolly over the years. She talked about Dolly’s humor, her ability to make everyone feel special, and even told a story about borrowing one of Dolly's dresses and using twelve rolls of toilet paper to recreate her look.
The show highlighted tributes pouring in from around the world, including comments from presidents, musicians, athletes, and celebrities. Jelly Roll called Dolly “the last American everyone loved,” while Peyton Manning and others shared emotional messages.
Andy and Alison reunited on WIVK nearly ten years after leaving the station. They remembered surprise Dolly visits to the studio, shared stories about how she treated everyone like family, and reflected on how special East Tennessee listeners were during their time on the air.
Listener Darlene shared an emotional story about meeting Dolly at DreamMore Resort before losing her home in the Gatlinburg wildfires. Dolly personally helped wildfire victims, eventually giving Darlene’s family $10,000 and hand-delivering one of the checks herself.
Joey and Nancy played historic clips of young Dolly on WIVK and the Cas Walker Show, including recordings from the 1950s and 1960s. They also replayed a special message Dolly recorded for WIVK’s 70th anniversary.
Emily Ann Roberts talked about learning of Dolly’s death while preparing for a trip. She shared advice Dolly personally gave her during her time on The Voice about handling homesickness by playing the songs she grew up singing in East Tennessee.
A caller named Kay shared a remarkable story about writing Dolly a letter before her 60th birthday. After reading it, Dolly personally called her, leaving a voicemail that Kay listened to repeatedly after hearing the news.
Singer Belles joined the show to talk about recording “Son of Jolene” with Dolly. She recalled getting the life-changing call that Dolly wanted to collaborate on the song and described meeting her as one of the best days of her life.
The show played audio from Dolly’s family members discussing holiday traditions, including Cookie Christmas gatherings, decorating cookies at Dolly’s house, and spending family time together at DreamMore Resort.
Before signing off, the show aired a 1961 recording of 15-year-old Dolly singing on WIVK and shared a message from Dollywood President Eugene Naughton, who reminded everyone that Dolly’s spirit and legacy would live on through Dollywood and the people she inspired.
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