r/OldSchoolCool • u/247Twunk • 4d ago
1990s In 1990, Dolly Parton went on vacation in Ireland. She walked into a local pub in County Kerry and delivered a flawless performance of Coat of Many Colors.
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u/Danonbass86 4d ago
Props to the guy who rotates the speaker after her mic starts to feed back
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u/Normal_Pace7374 4d ago
In the longer version that sound engineer is running around in a panic setting things up. You can see a small microphone taped to the big one for recording.
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u/Lifes-a-lil-foggy 4d ago
Omg imagine the panic of going from your drunk band to suddenly Dolly Parton
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u/your_grammars_bad 4d ago
"Suddenly Dolly Parton" sounds both wonderful and terrifying for me I'm not as good as she was/is
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u/Same-Suggestion-1936 4d ago
Suddenly Dolly would be a good band name . You guys can have that one
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u/Normal_Pace7374 4d ago
Word travels fast in dingle. We heard rumours about Fred agains secret gig the week before he came. Never though it was true tho
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u/VegetableEngine_ 4d ago
On definitely a smaller scale than Dolly Parton, I kinda made this happen before, multiple times. I was a touring musician for a long time, and when I was home between tours i worked at music venues. I made a lot of friends in other bands, and when they were in town I would request to be basically the liaison between the venue and the band, so i made sure hospitality was taken care of and all that.
After the shows, I'd end up hanging out with the friends who were playing and we'd bar hop a little. There was this small bar that did karaoke sometimes, and one time I took a band there. Turns out the guy hosting karaoke was at the show we had just finished. So he went from watching the band in a 4k cap room... to doing sound as the lead singer of that band did The Safety Dance karaoke.
It was so much fun and became a thing I did every so often, but after the first time, i at least let him know we were coming.
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u/ItsAllSoup 4d ago
Closest I got was when I went to epcot, one band was just some Canadians making music by hitting ladders and bottles and stuff, twas neat.
The next band was The Plain White T's singing "Hey there Delilah"
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u/parkaman 4d ago
I've done sound in very similar pubs in Ireland since before then. I honestly think I'd vomit in the middle of the pub and run away. Not that I that my rational brain thinks you could make Dolly sound bad, but that's all that would be going through my panicking brain if she waltzed in to the pub;
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u/kernel-troutman 4d ago
"When Dolly came to town and I set up the PA in a mad scramble and adjusted it during her set so there'd be no feedback and the locals could enjoy the heartwarming tune sung by a charming southern lass. But after all that fuss, do they call me 'Shamus the Sound Engineer'?"
"No, they don't!"
"But you fuck one sheep.....!"
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u/Ok_Meeting9865 4d ago
You mean Seamus?! His name totally perplexed Dolly 😂
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u/MirkoCroCop 4d ago
Seamus was Seamus Begley, the accordion player. Begley and Cooney (Steve) were legendary in Irish trad music at this time. The sound engineer was a different person.
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u/Soosietyrell 4d ago
😢🥹😭. How do you simultaneously express great joy, awe, and sadness at the same time. This is amazing!
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u/trowzerss 4d ago
I think we should all be a little bit more Dolly from now onwards.
My aunt died recently after not seeing her for a long time, although she was always my favourite aunt as a child, and watching the overview of her life at her funeral just showed how many people loved her, and how generous she was and I suddenly realised I could just... do that, be a bit more like that. And honestly it was a great feeling, as sad as I was. We can all just do those things and be a bit more Dolly from now on.
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u/AdmiralArmpit 4d ago
A great light went out when she died.
It's on all of us to try to shine a little brighter from now on.
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u/dividezero 4d ago
You honor their name. Give to her charity. Live like her. You know, whatever like that
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u/Soosietyrell 4d ago
Indeed… but I was thinking in that exact moment of hearing her do a “on demand” perfect performance. So many emotions!!!
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u/SideInitial3961 4d ago
She makes it look so easy people don't realize how hard it is.
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u/Long_Reindeer3702 4d ago
She said she learned from her mama who sang with Irish soul. She made it sound like her mom's singing outshined her own. I just love Dolly.
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u/SideInitial3961 4d ago
Yes they did an album together, she also sang with her sisters on TV a few times
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u/i8pineapples 4d ago
It's easy when it's something that you want to do literally all the time. And when someone wants to hear it it's a blessing because you can finally be yourself for a few minutes. It's the best feeling in the world.
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u/lookitmegonow 4d ago
Well I mean when you're one of the most well know and talented vocalists it like comes earlier to them than to you or I
I've never listened to her at all but that warble is a rare thing I think
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u/malendalayla 4d ago
Absolutely. The pure talent comes very naturally to the greats like Dolly. Not many are top tier effortlessly flawless but it's amazing to witness when it happens.
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u/SideInitial3961 4d ago
Chet Atkins got handed a tape of her when she was about 10 and said "some day she's going to be famous".
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u/dividezero 4d ago
I hear you fam! Totally!
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u/jaxonya 4d ago edited 4d ago
They say you dont know what you've got till its gone. With Dolly, I think most people knew exactly how special she was while she was still here. We say "living legends" a lot.. she was one of the very few to ever walk this world and truly hold that title. We dont have look back postlife and paint her in a better light. Stories 100 hundred years from now will tell about her and not need to embellish or edit anything
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u/AncientSignature1505 4d ago
I gave to the imagination library this morning and I didn't expect the thank you note. I know she wrote it a long time ago, but I read it on her voice and it killed me. Had me crying at work.
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u/Dorkamundo 4d ago
Exactly... She lived like she did because she knew it was right, and others should follow in her stead.
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u/ScienceSeuss 4d ago
A German phrase works well here: "mit einem lachenden und einem weinenden Auge" (literally: "with a laughing and a crying eye")
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u/Lick_My_BigButt_1980 4d ago
“Bei mir bist du schön.”.
Translation: “To me, you’re beautiful.”.Also, a killer Ella Fitzgerald song from 1937. ❤️🔥
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u/ghosttrainhobo 4d ago
Happiness can carry an awareness of its own impermanence. Even as she unfolds this joy unto the crowd, they know that it will soon be gone and, even though it is being recorded, it will never again be just as it was in this moment.
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u/Kradget 4d ago
"Swear on Dolly."
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u/rosyloma 4d ago
I was thinking of Ma Mary exactly when they showed the audience ☺️
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u/The0neR1ng 4d ago edited 4d ago
I can't hear this song with out thinking of my grandma. When I was little back in the 90s and early 00s she had this gaudy jacket with these bright sections of solid colour's. She LOVED that jacket and wore it for probably ten years of my childhood. She'd sing this song and we'd go Christmas shopping or drive to visit family for the holidays. It brings me really happy really warm memories. The first person I called when I heard Dolly died was my grandmother.
Edit:spelling
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u/KindergartenCunt 4d ago
Hey, I'm not trying to be an ass, I swear to god, but I wanted to let you know that the word is "gaudy," not "goddy."
I love your comment, it's so beautiful I'm not even kidding. I'm honestly tearing up a little bit. My grandma loved Dolly, too. I would call her in a heartbeat if I could anymore, I promise.
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u/The0neR1ng 4d ago
Nah its not a dick move to correct me. Its not a word I think I've ever written before. I appreciate the correction.
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u/The0neR1ng 4d ago
I always assumed it was like goddy and somehow was short for God awful 🤣😅
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u/KindergartenCunt 4d ago
I dig that explanation!
Thank you so much - I'm a bit of a grammar nazi so I just had to speak up.
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u/Witty_Ad_898 4d ago
I wonder how many people in the US still understand the reality of the world Dolly and her song came from. She grew up during the transition to modernism, in one of the last holdouts against materialism. Her entire over-the-top stage persona is a riff on the new materialist world order from someone who both appreciates the benefits and still honors her roots.
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u/idrinkwaterwithlemon 4d ago edited 4d ago
The best
Edit: she’s getting more recognition then the queen did and it’s 100% deserved
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u/Doughymidget 4d ago
The queen was born the queen and she was born Dolly. The world knew who the queen was the moment she was born. No one knew who Dolly was beside her family when she was born. Then, she went and shared every bit of herself with the world.
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u/jah_bro_ney 4d ago
I hope Steve is still with us. That boy can strum.
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u/jonesing247 4d ago
He really does a PHENOMENAL job accompanying her. And you can just see on his face how flabbergasted he is that this is all even happening to him.
It's just so pure.
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u/Elementium 4d ago
She did her part in a big way. Lately I've been thinking a lot about people and our worth if we were to eliminate our ego and ask "What's the point?"
The basic version is, reproduce and continue the species. The human version of that is I think much like Dolly, help as many people as you can. It's all we can do, if there is some ultimate goal for the human race, we won't get there any other way.
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u/happy123z 4d ago
Kurt Vonnegut asked his doctor son what we're here for. He said to help each other.
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u/Square_Ad849 4d ago edited 4d ago
After 3 days of Dolly, Dolly,Dolly, and after watching this, it just hit me.
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u/Rosmucman 4d ago
One of the lads watching her was one of Ireland's biggest sportsmen at the time Páidí Ó Sé, a Gaelic football manager and player. It was in his pub
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u/Gottalaughalittle 4d ago
Nice catch my friend.
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u/Normal_Pace7374 4d ago
Paudie O’Shea the pub owner gifted her his all Ireland winning jersey just before this impromptu performance. Paudie and his sons were all great Kerry footballers
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u/PantheonCannabis 4d ago
What a life well lived.
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u/LegoTurtle 4d ago
Im gonna miss her.
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u/PantheonCannabis 4d ago
My wifes a big Dolly fan. Im not a fan of mourning death unless its someone young.
Dolly is an expression of what we should all try to be - and exemplary human who lived life to the fullest and tried to use her resources to help!
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u/DrinkBuzzCola 4d ago
I love this statement. The thing is, we all could choose to live our lives this way (not the musical talent, of course). Instead, we prefer to fight on the internet, etc.
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u/Shamrocksf23 4d ago
Love how she tries to say Seamus. Legend
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u/Nvrfinddisacct 4d ago
Knows she messed it up a bit and just goes “well I’m glad to be here” lol
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u/0verstim 4d ago
"That's a mighty fine name, I ain't never heard it before, I reckon. But we dont have a lot of Irish Catholics back in the south, we're mostly Christians."
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u/PandaPocketFire 4d ago edited 4d ago
Seamus was in fact a protestant, and this incident set Irish and American relations back by several decades.
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u/Fit-Practice-3194 4d ago edited 4d ago
I was going to play this song for my 9 year old and explained the story about it beforehand… she stopped me and said “I already know about that, from one of the books Dolly sent us.”🥹
I completely forgot all about The Coat of Many Colors book that was sent to us years ago through her Imagination Library program.. She remembered, though. Every detail.🩷📚
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u/PinkLed1970s 4d ago edited 4d ago
What an astounding performance. What a song. She was such a flawless person.
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u/Greedy-Basil9619 4d ago
I've teared up so many times since her passing seeing all the different clips of her. She was amazing
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u/OldheadBoomer 4d ago edited 4d ago
Imagine being Steve. Highlight of his pub career.
EDIT: Wow, didn't recognize who he was, what an amazing moment in music this became.
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u/raftguide 4d ago
Actually you should google Steve Cooney. But you still might be right.
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u/your_grammars_bad 4d ago
From his Wikipedia page:
Cooney moved to Ireland in the early 1980s, and since then he played, most notably the guitar, over 60 albums with Irish artists, such as the Irish band Altan, The Chieftains, Clannad and Andy Irvine. He also composes his own material and is a producer/arranger of traditional music.[2]
In 2019, he recorded and published the album Ceol Ársa Cláirsí:Tunes of the Irish Harpers for Solo Guitar at Claddagh Records.[3]
Steve fucks. For Ireland!
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u/evilpercy 4d ago
Imagine the Irish musician that practice this song only to have Dolly walk into his pub. I expected he was the first to know who she was.
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u/IamLuann 4d ago
He had tears streaming down his cheeks as he was playing for her.
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u/Ill_Ground_1572 4d ago
Steve rocked it! They sounded like they have been playing together for years.
That would have been so nerve wracking for Steve but Dolly is such a gem of a person.
Awesome video. We will miss her.
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u/ittybittynuts 4d ago
I have just had a terible week of my own and I cant watch this and cry anymore. Sorry Dolly.
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u/Cabbages24ADollar 4d ago
Derry Girls: Swear it on Dolly
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u/LurkerNan 4d ago
The whole tough-upbringing vibe she has seems like it would certainly fit in with the Irish culture.
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u/FrewdWoad 4d ago
Was it Neil Diamond or Bruce Springsteen who said touring in Ireland was special because everyone knows the words and sings along? Probably both.
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u/IGTankCommander 4d ago
The Boss. Turns out the nation that built a rep on being the toughest working class SOBs on the planet loves Bruce, and it helps his family emigrated from Rathangan.
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u/kamitsukenu 4d ago
I love that moment when she invites Steve to sing along and he puts his hand on his chest as he can’t believe what’s happening.
She sings so flawlessly. I know she’s a megastar but can you imagine being in that pub listening to her that evening? I bet you’d be walking on air talking about it after.
RIP to a true musical legend that every musical fan will miss terribly.
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u/BurtReynoldsLives 4d ago
How can one person be so full of talent, charm, and compassion? The most powerful people in the world are nothing compared to her brilliance. It’s up to us now to carry her light forward. What a god damn legend!
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u/FangornLeghorn 4d ago
Imagine going to the pub one night for a pint and then randomly pops up one of the greatest human beings to ever exist and she sings one of her signature songs ten feet in front of you. 🤯
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u/Sidewalk_Tomato 4d ago
I'm amused by the use of the word "flawless" to describe the performance. It's her song. Any way she sings it is now hers! What it is, is wonderful. But I there I go quibbling.
I loved it when she bent to share the mic with the guitarist and he looked so surprised and honored. I bet he's shed a tear or two this week if he's outlived her.
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u/im_on_the_case 4d ago
He's alive alright, Steve Cooney, a very accomplished guitarist who has played with many great artists and was married to Sinead O'Connor for a time.
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u/BurtReynoldsLives 4d ago
This is the type of comment I come here for. Thank you for this.
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u/You_meddling_kids 4d ago
It's quite useful, she walks out there with no apparent warm up or prep, never rehearsed with this guy and hits every note (except when she forgets how the 3rd verse starts lol)
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u/mudduck2 4d ago
She was amazing there. The guy on guitar deserves all the props
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u/generally_unsuitable 4d ago
I love the moments when his face is saying "I can't believe this is happening."
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u/Objective-Swing8572 4d ago
Never been a fan of her music. But I’m a huge fan of her.
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u/PmUrBoobiesOrBooty 4d ago
This song being a true story is a great insight to why she was such an amazing woman.
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u/whyenn 4d ago
The character Tyrion in Game of Thrones said:
Never forget what you are, for surely the world won't. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armor yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.
She developed physically when SUPER young. She talked about how cruel the kids were to her when she was busty before she was a teen. You can imagine what they said.
And even for her poor region her family was very very poor.
So later she styled herself with bright lipstick and flashy colors after what her mother called "straight trash." She herself said "it costs a lot of money to look this cheap."
Everyone knew she was super sweet, and dressed a little "trashy" but that it was all part of a costume. No one was ever, ever going to hurt her as an adult the way she was as child. Because she took the insults, removed the venom, embraced them, and turned them into a costume that was kind of an armor.
And she spent her whole life trying to give back to kids.
Basically, she was kind of a superhero.
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u/Mediocre-Penalty3001 4d ago
I feel honored to have lived in the time of Dolly Parton.
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u/evilpercy 4d ago
Beautiful singer, beautiful woman, beautiful person. She grew up poor, dirt poor and never forgot. She made some core memories and to the Irish musicians that had practice the song, only to actually have Dolly show up in a Irish pub he was it had to be a holy experience.
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u/powderbubba 4d ago
Her giggle at the beginning is the most endearing thing I’ve ever heard. Can you imagine being in that pub?! She is such a legend.
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u/summon_the_quarrion 4d ago
My dad happened to be walking by the pub filming ..my folks were on vacation and he said he saw some sparkly boots looked up and went "Dolly?" And she goes " well Yeaaah!!!" And laughed .. he said she was the nicest lately and it was like the were old friends when they met, she never met a stranger
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u/Electricpuha420 4d ago
Not done for likes or social media just a lady enjoying a jam with locals in a pub.
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u/Dawnzarelli 4d ago
How is this 36 yrs ago?!?! So she is what? 44? She maintained an amazing level of energy throughout most of her life. I’m just a bit younger than she is here and I’m tired
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u/butteredbuttbiscuit 4d ago
This one did it, I finally cried for Dolly. This song is my favorite of all hers. I listened to it a lot as a child and felt it was such a beautiful story. Reminds me of riding to church with grandma. Eventually, I outgrew the church- but I never outgrew Dolly. Beautiful soul she was, all kindness. May she rest in peace and love.
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u/MxFC 4d ago
Imagine being the guitarist who just went to the pub for the weekly music session and suddenly playing with Dolly Parton. Fuck, we lost a good one.
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u/Tall_Candidate_8088 4d ago
That's Steve Cooney on the guitar and Seamus is Seamus Begley the accordion player.
They are both legendary musicians you should give them a google.
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u/Inner-Hawk909 4d ago
That guitar player is living everyone’s dream. Rest in peace and power, darling Dolly.
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u/turtleman2233 4d ago
I don't listen to a lot of country, and this is the first time I've heard her sing, other than snippets on YouTube or mashups. I knew she was good, but hearing it not in a studio, live, impromptu, in Ireland, magical. Her voice is magical.
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u/manic_panda 4d ago
I was just thinking of that story on here of the little girl who loved Bob Ross and found out he died and then had a mini breakdown, there are whole generations of people who will see clips and hear songs of this wonderful woman and look up to her as children only to realise shes gone.
I usually dont get too emotionally invested when celebs die but something about how bleak everything is right now with how it seems everyone is being greedy and seeing one of the few seemingly truly good and kind peippe go just hits you different.
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u/fusillade762 4d ago
We really lost something with this one folks. What a wonderful person and talent. That Irish picker is the happiest man in Ireland right there.
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u/caseofthepunks 4d ago
Dolly was all about compassion. Compassion is in short supply these days.
Be compassionate.
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u/Id_Love_A_BabyCham 4d ago
Old Mates Steve and Seamus at the apogee of their music career and loving it. Props to you boys.
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u/Comfortable-Truth387 4d ago
Dang. Didn't expect to get so emotional. I'm glad I got to live in a world with Dolly Parton in my life
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u/Impressive_Ad3571 4d ago
Imagine being Steve. Taking the time to learn to play the song so well and one day Dolly walks in..
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u/AdSpecialist4529 4d ago
The man on Dolly's right , in the white shirt, was the owner of the pub ( Paudi O Se). Paudi was more famous in Kerry than Dolly. He won 8 all ireland championships in Gaelic football for Kerry. An absolute legend of a man. May they both rest in peace ❤️❤️
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u/Shatragon 4d ago
That is totally awesome. She was such a talented songwriter. She could really tell a story with her songs.
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u/RenaissanceViking 4d ago
What a talented woman, and genuinely cared for others, an aura of good around her in life, beautiful.
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u/Ok_Plantain_9408 4d ago
I love her giggle. I’ve been seeing quite a few videos with her little giggle. It’s so cute.
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u/Normal_Pace7374 4d ago
Paudie O’Shea the pub gifted her his all Ireland winning jersey just before this impromptu performance. Paudie and his sons were all great Kerry footballers
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u/miss-amused 4d ago
I was in this pub about 8 years ago. They have many photos of her from that night proudly framed and displayed on the walls. We love Dolly in Ireland ❤️
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u/OutrageousRub4345 4d ago
What a blessing for the people who were there. She was most likely a billionaire but gave so much away.
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u/Aimeeann30 4d ago
Steve is so smitten. His face when she leans in! ❤️