Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Honors Dolly Parton with Festival Tributes

Dolly Parton’s enduring musical reach shaped the final weekend of the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival in San Francisco, sfchronicle.com reported. About 15 musical acts paid tribute to the late country singer during the three-day free event, which concluded Sunday, Oct. 4, at Golden Gate Park, performing songs written or covered by Parton across multiple stages.

Festival Gates Reach Capacity Amid Sweltering Heat

Sweltering temperatures on Saturday, Oct. 3, drew massive crowds to Golden Gate Park. Festival spokesman Jim Merlis told sfchronicle.com that organizers closed all gates for about an hour starting around 4:45 p.m. as attendance reached capacity.

Mayor Daniel Lurie posted on social media that 60,000 attendees were in the park during the early evening. The temporary closure marked the first time in festival history that all entrances were shut simultaneously.

Artists Channel Parton Across Stages

Musical tributes to Parton anchored many of the weekend’s high-profile sets. During their Sunday set on the Arrow Stage, the four Hellman siblings of Marco and the Polos led an a cappella version of Seven Bridges Road to honor her.

Other performers selected specific cuts from her extensive catalog. Oakland blues singer Miko Marks performed I Will Always Love You, Palo Alto-raised Molly Tuttle covered Nine to Five, and local band Wreckless Strangers played Baby I’m Burnin’.

The first thing is, you want to nail it, and Dolly was not easy to sing. I was born in 1965, and Dolly has always been there for me. She was relevant through the eras.

Amber Morris, Wreckless Strangers vocalist

Former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant, performing with Saving Grace and vocalist Suzi Dian, dedicated a song to Parton. Plant noted during his set that Parton’s 2002 bluegrass cover of Stairway to Heaven remains his favorite version of the track.

Fans Honor Late Icon Through Vintage Apparel

Festivalgoers joined performers in celebrating Parton by wearing themed outfits and vintage merchandise. On Saturday, a group of visitors wore polyester jumpsuits and white wigs paired with pink cowboy hats.

San Francisco resident Shannon Sellers attended Saturday wearing a T-shirt referencing the 1980 comedy Nine to Five, returning Sunday in a faded concert shirt from a 1978 Parton show. Festival executive director John Caldon also wore a Parton T-shirt on Sunday.

This is the way I wanted to carry Dolly around with me as I enjoyed the music.

John Caldon, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Executive Director