She was about to perform as Dolly Parton when she learned Dolly had died

Karen Hester was minutes from taking the stage at Totem Pole Playhouse when she learned Parton had died, turning a tribute performance into an emotional farewell.

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 Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton and James Patterson pose for a picture in August 2021. Their new novel, Run, Rose, Run, is about an aspiring country singer in Nashville.

Aired; August 28, 2026

When Karen Hester learned that Dolly Parton had died, she was just minutes away from walking onto the stage at Totem Pole Playhouse to portray the country music legend.

Hester, star of Dolly, a Tribute to Dolly Parton, was preparing for another performance when her son texted her asking if the news was true. After confirming Parton’s death, Hester had to make the difficult decision to walk onstage and tell an audience that had come expecting to celebrate Dolly.

“It was tough walking out on stage. I sang one song and then told a whole audience of people that had no clue that she had passed. So the reaction in the theater was very humbling, very heartbroken and just the gasp and the crying. And it was really, really tough. It’s the most difficult show I think I’ve ever had to perform.”

Hester said she ultimately decided the show should become a celebration of Parton’s life and music.

For Hester, portraying Dolly has involved studying her voice, mannerisms and personality — but also understanding the qualities that made people feel connected to her.

“She just stressed loving one another, being kind to one another in a world that is needed so much.”

That connection continues across generations. Hester said children regularly attend her performances wearing their own “Coat of Many Colors” and bringing drawings and cards inspired by Parton. “And just to see that she’s inspiring the younger generation just as much as she inspired the older generation. Her songs are timeless. And they just touch every generation.”

Hester said Parton’s vulnerability as a songwriter is another reason her music continues to resonate. “Her songs were just, they were from her heart. So when she sang them, I don’t think anyone will ever be able to sing Dolly’s songs the way that she did because she just, the emotion and the feelings that she has behind those songs, well they’re part of her story and part of her life.”

For Hester, the tribute has also changed her personally, teaching her to dream bigger and have more confidence in her own gifts. “I learned a lot about me by learning about Dolly and learning that she taught us to dream bigger to dream more to work harder and don’t give up on your dreams.”

Listen to the podcast to hear the full conversation.