The devastated Dolly Parton tribute acts who have to keep on singing: ‘I haven’t slept since she died’

The world is currently in mourning following the death of Dolly Parton, who died yesterday aged 80 after a brief battle with cancer. However, for those who impersonate the country icon for a living, the show must go on.

Parton tribute acts have revealed that they’ve received a huge number of requests for performances and interviews since the “9 to 5” singer’s death, and have been fielding calls and emails while processing their own grief over the country music icon’s shock passing.

“I haven’t actually slept,” says Sarah Jayne, 49, who has performed as Parton for over three decades and been endorsed by the blonde bombshell herself.

“I’ve been inundated with wonderful people asking me lots of questions and wanting to talk about my knowledge of Dolly,” she said, adding that she spent the evening taking part in radio interviews before heading to London from Kent for an appearance on ITV’s Good Morning Britain at 5am.

“In preparation for that, there was no point in me sleeping. But that’s life and it’s show business,” she added. “Quite often, Dolly used to speak about that. It’s the business and she was a fabulous, fantastic businesswoman.”

Similarly, Hertfordshire-based Kelly O’Brien, 52 – who’s been performing The Dolly Show for 20 years across the UK, US and Australia – has been hounded by messages asking for more performances.

“It’s actually made me a little bit upset because all of a sudden they’re like, ‘Are you free on this date?’ I get booked up a year in advance, so I’m now really busy because I’ve got so many tours on,” she says. “I have little working men’s clubs saying, ‘Are you free on the 16th October?’ and I’m like, ‘No.’ Everybody now wants Dolly.

“My promoters have been very busy. It’s nice to have bigger shows because I can celebrate her better in a bigger forum, so I’m happy about that.”

Diamond Dolly, aka Lallie Wadham, 47, will be back performing as the Queen of Country this weekend. Having burst out sobbing in a supermarket when she heard the news of Parton’s death, she’s expecting more tears at the show.

“I think there’s going to be a huge outpouring of emotion, not just from me but from the crowd as well,” she said, adding that she’ll be performing with a Kenny Rogers tribute act. “I’ve got a bit of moral support up there on stage. I think the crowds are going to be with me on it and if a few tears roll out, I don’t think it’s going to be such a bad thing.

“It’s going to be really nice to share that grief with people who are going to appreciate it rather than sitting in my kitchen, having a little weep every time one of her songs comes on the radio.”

For Jayne, her tribute act has become a family affair – with her husband, Andy Crust, performing as Rogers and their 15-year-old daughter Lucy performing as country star Lainey Wilson. The trio met Parton in 2011, when Lucy was just a baby.

“She thanked me for performing as Dolly for so long,” she said. “She held my daughter in her arms, gave me a big hug, met my husband. She was lovely. She was so welcoming and very, very tiny. She smelt great, like sweet flowers. When I left actually, I could smell her on me, which was a mad thing to say, but it's true.

“It was a quite unique moment in time that will never be forgotten because to be endorsed like that by her is amazing,” she continued.

Since Parton’s death was announced, the “I Will Always Love You” singer has been remembered globally as one-of-a-kind – and her tribute acts want to continue spreading her optimistic and joyous energy now that she can’t any more.

“Dolly has given me my career and the life that I have,” Jayne says. “She’s someone to be looked up to and for her memories, her music and everything she stands for to be cherished. She says, ‘If you see someone without a smile, give them yours,’ and that’s something I think a lot us lose sight of.”

“She means everything,” O’Brien adds. “We all need a bit of Dolly in our lives now more than ever because the world’s gone a bit crazy. She offers love, hope, stability, just connection that I think is lacking so much today. I think that really resonated with millions of people around the world.”

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