Hospice hoedown

She once famously said, “it costs a lot of money to look this cheap,” and this month she’s in town – not quite Dolly Parton, but Karen Davy performing as Dolly – in a fundraising event for Harbour Hospice, Country On The Coast.

Karen will be singing all the well-known Dolly numbers at the August 21 show at Ōrewa College’s Arts and Events Centre, including Jolene, Here You Come Again, 9 to 5 and Islands In the Stream with Ken Strong as Kenny Rogers. 

The 90-minute show will be preceded by a half-hour line-dancing lesson and followed by a hoedown where you can kick up your heels.

Event organiser Jan Adams says it’s “all about good fun, good music and Dolly”. 

Country On the Coast is the seventh fundraiser of this kind for Harbour Hospice, with all proceeds going back to the local hospice in Red Beach.

“I think people will really love this,” says Jan. “There are a lot of country music lovers on the Coast and line dancing has a huge following.”

Karen Davy has performed as Dolly for more than 30 years and loves her “because she has a great sense of humour and is not afraid to tell people that she’s had plastic surgery and wears wigs”. 

“She’s also a very astute businesswoman,” Karen says. 

Karen has been to both of Dolly’s New Zealand shows and 10 years ago appeared on the TV show Stars In Their Eyes as Dolly.

“We all know there’s only one Dolly, but I just can’t get enough of performing as her.”