Jon + Em’s band, Swallows , just got invited to do the 3rd Annual Dolly Parton Hoot Night later in May as part of a fundraiser for Siren Nation.
[Siren Nation is a women's music and arts festival that celebrates women of the NW. In it's inaugural year, last November, Swallows got to share the stage with our queer-lady heroes, Team Dresch and Mirah.]
Being a non-profit, Siren Nation needs all the dollars + cents they can get and the Dolly Parton Hoot Night is one of the most high profile benefits they do each year.
Check out Beth Ditto (The Gossip) doing it last year!:
Jon is a huge Dolly Parton fan. Most of his Dolly material is exclusively on record. In gaycondo’s beginning, Paul did a special tranny spot on Dolly last January. There are even framed pictures of Dolly Parton hanging in gaycondo (courtesy of Jon and Paul’s fanaticism)
I, however, don’t know much about Dolly Parton other than the poverty she experienced in childhood (which, I have to admit, I read in her biography on the boy’s toilet in gaycondo). When I was a kid, my cousins had this googly eyed, cross between a shitzou and a gremlin whom their stepsister from Tennessee named Dolly. Also, when I was a teenager, I would drive from San Diego to go dancing in LA with my friends and as we passed San Onofre nuclear plant we would all laugh and point out “Dolly”. Here’s why:
Jon informed me that some people would KILL to be a part of the Dolly Parton Hoot Night and that I should educate and make myself a knowledgeable fan before we play.
He also said that people don’t really give Dolly Parton a lot of credit, and judge her for some pretty fucked up ways. The reality is that is actually quite an incredible feminist singer, songwriter and guitarist. In fact, Jon told me that Dolly Parton was one of the first woman in country music to write her own lyrics. Hands down. Impressive. After a bit of research, I conclude DP holds the record for number of top 10 albums for any country artist, male or female.
Swallows is always working hard to bring you the latest and the Dolly Parton Hoot Night is no exception! We will be sure to keep you posted on the progress of our reinvention of DP’s songs.
We have done covers/reinventions in the past. Check them out:
Swallows cover Patti Smith’s “Distant Fingers” (2008):
Watch a live video
Swallows cover Mama’s and the Papa’s “Words of Love” (2006):
Swallows cover Olivia Newton John’s “Physical” (2005):
Swallows cover Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made for Walkin” (2004):
Dolly was born in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee. She is loved so much by the people in East TN. She hasn’t forgotten where she came from. She gives tons of money to children in her hometown. She also contributes to the local economy via her themepark “Dollywood”. She is absolutely adorable. One of the best quotes from Dolly, “It takes a lot of money to look this trashy!”