Dolly Parton’s Glastonbury 2014 ‘Legends’ Slot Set Is Still ‘Magic’

By the mid-2010s, Dolly Parton was already one of the most established and beloved figures in music, with a recording career of almost 50 years under her rhinestoned belt.

True to form, though, there were still plenty of things out there she wanted to explore – and that included a debut performance at Glastonbury.

In the summer of 2014, Dolly was booked to perform in the festival’s iconic Sunday afternoon “Legends” slot, giving Glastonbury one of its most memorable sets in modern history.

During her performance, Dolly showcased some of her most beloved hits, including 9 To 5, Jolene, Here You Come Again and Islands In The Stream.

But there were also a few surprises, including Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Richie Sambora for a rendition of Bon Jovi’s Lay Your Hands On Me and an original composition just for Glasto dubbed Mud Song.

She then rounded things off with a performance of her romantic ballad I Will Always Love You, which had the crowd in the palm of her perfectly manicured hand.

“I’m just a country girl and now I feel like a rock star,” she said after her long-awaited Glastonbury debut.

To this day, Dolly’s Glastonbury set is still hailed as one of the festival’s best ever, with organiser Emily Eavis sharing an emotional tribute to the country music superstar following her death on Monday.

“Oh Dolly, what an untouchable legend,” she wrote. “I will never forget her coming here in 2014 and bringing her incredible songs, overflowing joy and wonderful spirit to Worthy Farm. We had always dreamt of booking her for Glastonbury and I started to think that maybe it would never happen, but the stars aligned and she finally said yes.

“From the moment she arrived, she was an absolute delight, just so lovely. There was a vast crowd in the field for her slot, the sun shone, and when she walked out on to the Pyramid stage she reigned supreme. It was just magic.”