Dolly Parton announces series of shows on Las Vegas Strip
Dolly Parton knows what a genuine, old-school Las Vegas residency looks like. She headlined one, many moons ago.
Parton premiered on the Strip at the Riviera in February 1981, headlining a 22-week run covering three years. She earned a robust $7.7 million in that series (more than $27 million in 2025 terms). That commitment dwarfs what we consider a residency in today’s Las Vegas.
A little more than a decade later, Parton headlined at the legendary Circus Maximus showroom at Caesars Palace. Similar to Riviera, that room no longer exists, pulled apart as the Colosseum at Caesars Palace was developed. That is where Parton is playing a limited engagement of six shows from Dec. 4-13, running with the National Finals Rodeo at Thomas & Mack Center.
Tickets for the following six shows go on sale starting at 10 a.m. Wednesday: Dec. 4, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13.
“To say I’m excited would be an understatement. I haven’t worked Vegas in years and I’ve always loved singing there. I’m looking so forward to the shows in The Colosseum at Caesars and I hope you are as well. See you there!” Parton said in the release announcing the show.
In an interview in February 2022, Parton said a multi-week run was not in her plans. She rarely considered it until asked.
“I really haven’t given that any thought. It’s not likely, because I’ve been performing for so many years … I love Vegas, I love seeing the shows, and I’ll continue to do shows here and there now and then. But as far as being full blown back at it, I doubt that that’s going to happen.”
At the time, Parton was prepping to host the Academy of Country Music Awards show at Allegiant Stadium in March 2022. That was Parton’s most recent live appearance in Las Vegas. It was also the last time the ACM Awards were held in town moving to Frisco, Texas.
She referred to Las Vegas as “a magical place.”
“Las Vegas, as you well know, is a special, special place,” Parton said. “… It adds a different kind of energy and a different kind of excitement.”
Parton is a country superstar and also a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, accepting the honor after first declining because she felt her catalog was not in the rock genre. But a groundswell of fan support prompted her to reconsider. She released the album “Rockstar” in November ’23. She partnered with a wide variety of rockers on the album, including Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr on “Let it Be,” Sting on “Every Breath You Take” and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts on “I Hate Myself for Loving You.”
Parton’s Colosseum show will “weave together seven decades of classic hits and fan favorites including “9 to 5,” “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You” “Coat Of Many Colors” and many more.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
