Review: NATALIE DOUGLAS' Enchanting Dolly Parton Tribute Show Flies High at Birdland

I've never been much of a country music fan. There. I said it. Never listened to the Grand Ole Opry on the radio as a kid, or bought Johnny Cash or Loretta Lynn albums. It just wasn't part of my upbringing. Of course, I always loved Dolly Parton; those wigs, her outrageous clothes, that lilting soft twang of a country accent, her near-nauseating sunny disposition, and that sweet warbling cherubic-toned voice of hers. These days at Birdland, trying to channel Dolly Parton's bigger-than-life-persona is the sultry Natalie Douglas, a seven-time MAC Award, Nightlife, and Backstage Bistro Award winner, who (on April 20) brought her own hip, quick-witted, earth-mother persona--along with her smokin' hot vocals--in a joyful tribute show to the country music icon, Hello Dolly: The Music of Dolly Parton, as part of the Jim Caruso's Broadway at Birdland Series.

Starting off with Dolly's humble Tennessee beginnings, "Coat of Many Colors", (Parton's self-confessed favorite song), Douglas immediately draws us in with her elegant, understated, storytelling skills. Followed next by Neil Young's "After the Gold Rush," it quickly becomes apparent that Douglas is accompanied by top-notch musicians, who also offer sublime vocal backup throughout the evening. Musical Director and arranger Mark Hartman on piano, accordion, and vocals, as well as Shanna Sharp on guitar and vocals are particular standouts. Their voices blend so beautifully with Douglas that you think you're listening to one of those Sunday old-time-religion programs on the radio. Jim Cammack on bass and Joe Choroszewski on drums offer additional depth and dimension to the musical mix.

First power ballad of the evening is a big one--Parton's country classic "Jolene", the story of a woman confronting the beautiful, alluring Jolene who the woman believes is trying to take her man ("Please don't take him just because you can . . . "). Parton wrote and recorded this ballad at the ripe old age of 27 inspired by a redheaded bank clerk who was shamelessly flirting with her husband, Carl Dean, just after they were married. Douglas adds smolder to the fire of passion with her riveting interpretation directed point blank at the "morally corrupt" Jolene. Hartman's arrangement has a steady kind of military firing squad cadence to it. With a smile on her face, Douglas later suggests to her audience: "Can't you just see that woman with a gun in her hand?"

Classic American music associated with Parton is bountiful in this act. Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice" (see video of Douglas singing the number in the November 2014 show), the Southern Gospel standard "Farther Along" (Rev. W.A. Fletcher, recorded by Parton/Linda Ronstadt/Emmylou Harris on the 1987 album Trio), the country hit "Single Women" (written by Michael O' Donoghue of Saturday Night Live fame on Parton's 1982 Heartbreak Express Album), and Cat Stevens' "Peace Train," are included. A highlight of the set was the traditional Appalachian folk ballad, "Little Sparrow." Hartman's powerful vocal arrangement not only showcased Douglas' high angelic tones, but the breathtaking acapella ending sung in glorious three-part harmony allowed the audience to experience the power and beauty of traditional American folk music so appropriate for a Dolly Parton tribute.

As country music is so lyrically story driven, often depicting the controversy of the times, it takes a gifted performer with great charisma and acting chops to pull off a song like Parton's tragically haunting, "Down from Dover." Douglas is mesmerizing as she tells the sad story of a pregnant teenager, rejected by her lover, yet hoping he'll return from a town called Dover for the birth of their child. Of course, he doesn't return, leaving the audience at the end of the song in a sad, hopeless state of mind as they learn the baby is delivered stillborn. But Douglas won't let her audience stay low-down-blue for too long. "If Dolly writes a song with a person's name or place in the title," she jokes," you can be pretty sure someone's gonna die." The audience laughs eager for the emotional release which really worked in the show. However, the only fault with this show (if you can call it a fault) is that Douglas tends to chatter on a bit too much. While some in the audience obviously found her patter charming, I found it kind of frustrating as she threw inaudible comments to the front row, and would often meander into stories that weren't all that "on point." But there were some amusing and informative moments, as when I finally learned the significance of what "420" means (Google it).

Douglas solemnly finished with a folksy cover of Led Zepplin's classic rock song "Stairway to Heaven" (Page/Plant with additional lyrics by Parton). Dolly's biggest hit in her career, "I Will Always Love You" (lovingly written about Parton's professional break from Porter Wagoner in 1974), served admirably and appropriately as a dynamic encore for this enchanting Natalie Douglas show.

Natalie Douglas will return to Birdland Jazz Club (315 West 44th Street) Mondays at 7PM on May 18, July 6 and August 10. Tickets may be purchased by calling 212-581-3080 or at www.ticketfly.com.

Photo (bottom) courtesy Kevin Alvey

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