Harwood Dolly Parton tribute act remembers the legend

Kennedy Caitlin, a Dolly Parton tribute act, was lucky enough to meet the music superstar and paid tribute to the singer.

Visibly emotional Kennedy, who lives in Harwood, said that generations contacted with Dolly because “she’s always been authentically her.”

Kennedy remembers Dolly Parton (Image: Kennedy Caitlin)

Kennedy who has performed at Bolton Food and Drink Festival, met Dolly in 2016 during the singer’s Pure and Simple tour across North America and Canada, describing her as “funny and quick-witted.”

She said her inspiration came from Dolly’s famous quote: “Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.”

She became emotional while explaining her own interpretation of the quote:

Kennedy said:“She made my life worth living and she gave me the living to make a life.”

Recalling when she met Dolly, Kennedy, 30, said: “I told her that I was a tribute to herself, and she said, ‘I wish I was as beautiful as you.”

Fans often tell her that her performances feel uncannily close to the real thing.

Kennedy remembers Dolly Parton (Image: Kennedy Caitlin)

Kennedy said: “A lot of people say to me after that I closed my eyes and felt like I was back there with Dolly”

In her own tribute shows, Kennedy often recreates Dolly’s iconic 2014 Glastonbury performance.

She calls it one of the singer’s “biggest moments” in the UK.

Dolly famously drew the largest crowd that Glastonbury had ever seen.

Her work as a tribute artist has taken her across the UK, as well as to Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, and she has even received offers to perform in Dubai.

Kennedy’s favourite song to perform is the legendary “I Will Always Love You.”

She said that people often “don’t realise that [Dolly] wrote it.” When she sings the ballad, she said you can hear a “pin drop”.

The Bolton News previously featured Kennedy Caitlin in 2015 following her appearance as Dolly Parton on the Stars in Their Eyes revival series.

Kennedy performs as Dolly Parton on Manchester River Cruises every month and will be singing at Grosvenor Casino Bolton on the 2 October as part of “A Night in Vegas.”