Long before Country music legend, singer-songwriter, actress and entrepeneur Dolly Parton died Tuesday after a brief battle with cancer, she left a lasting and fond reminder in the Willamette Valley and Eugene.
The singer performed at the Lane County Fairgrounds in February 1972 while on a tour with her mentor, country star Porter Wagoner. That night she performed despite being sick and fighting homesickness, and the appreciative Emerald City crowd gave her what she said was the first mid-set standing ovation of her career, something rare for a warmup act.
Touched by the show of love and appreciation, Parton wrote "Eugene," one of the only two songs of her career to use the name of a city. She released "Down from Dover" on the album "Fairest of Them All" in 1970, just a few short years before chart-topping hits "Jolene" in 1973, "I Will Always Love You" in 1974.
Though Parton wrote wrote "Eugene" as a thank you to that supportive crowd that night after her morale-lifting show, she didn't record it until it appeared as part of the boxed set "Dolly" in 2009.
Oregon football frequently plays the song as a tribute and celebration after Oregon victories, a tradition that will grow richer after the beloved singer's death.
Long known for her philanthropy, Parton donated her $40,000 performance fee to the Willamette University after a performance at the Oregon State Fair in 1990.
Parton became a worldwide star despite humble beginnings, born in a one-room cabin in Pittman Center, Tennessee, the fourth of 12 children. In addition to recording 25 number one hits, she graced wildly successful crossover collaborations like the "Trio" album with Linda Ronstadt and Emmy Lou Harris.
She won Golden Globe nominations for her acting roles in "9 to 5" and "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," working alongside veteran actors Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Burt Reynolds.
Her flamboyant style captured attention, the fabulous wigs and bright red lipstick, but she won affection with genuine charm and self-deprecating humor. She once told Gayle King of CBS that she copied her bold style after a notorious character in her hometown.
"She wore the makeup, red nails, red high heels, tight clothes. I just thought she was the prettiest thing I'd ever seen," Parton said. "And people say, 'Oh, she ain't nothing but trash,' but in my mind, I thought, 'That's what I'm going to be when I grow up.'"
She performed for 70 years for crowds all over the world, never failing to sing from her heart. At Autzen Stadium, her tribute song to a generous Eugene crowd will remain a lasting memory.
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