Dolly Parton’s performance Tuesday night at the UCCU Center showed that the 70-year-old star can still put on a show. Β Dolly apologized for a slight cough and a case of the sniffles – not that it affected her singing performance at all.

β€œMe with a chest cold is like a giraffe with a sore throat,” Parton said. She kept those jokes coming all night.

The β€œbackwoods Barbie” commanded the stage in a dress dripping with rhinestones. Parton busted out β€œJolene,” and then treated the audience to new songs from her latest album Pure & Simple, an album she said was entirely of love songs.

Miss Parton is a beautiful storyteller. She told of growing up in a poor family of 12 children with parents who taught her the value of hard work, humility and acceptance.

β€œEverybody should be proud of where they’re from and who they are,” Parton said. β€œWe had all the kind of stuff that money doesn’t buy: love, compassion and kindness.”

When Dolly sang β€œCoat of Many Colors,” the love she has for her mother and her upbringing was right there on stage. She expertly played the steel guitar for β€œTennessee Mountain Home” as she told of the homesickness she experienced as a young performer.

β€œI graduated from high school on a Friday night, and on Saturday morning I hopped on a Greyhound to go find stardom,” Parton said.

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The show’s atmosphere was very personal as Parton continued to tell stories and make the audience laugh. I’m firmly convinced that Dolly Parton can play any instrument she touches; she played an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar, a steel guitar, a fiddle, a banjo, a saxophone and a baby grand piano. In true Dolly fashion, every instrument is decorated with plenty of sparkles.

Parton got the crowd going when she brought up insanity of the current presidential election.

β€œI was thinking I might run,” Parton said to an explosion of cheers. β€œI’ve got the hair for it! I’m a self-made woman, and I’ve got the doctor’s bills to prove it!”

Dolly then showcased her southern gospel roots with renditions of β€œThe Seeker” and β€œPrecious Memories.”

After a short intermission – with an expected hair and outfit change — Parton used her strong and soulful voice to sing a few measures of Alicia Keys’ β€œGirl on Fire.” Dolly can sing whatever she wants as loud as she wants, and we would never want her to stop. Parton performed a few songs from the Trio albums, originally recorded alongside Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt. The party really got started when Dolly sang β€œHere You Come Again,” β€œTwo Doors Down,” β€œIslands in the Stream,” and a dance-worthy version of β€œ9 to 5.”

Parton closed the night with β€œI Will Always Love You,” and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t eek out an itty bitty tear.