Dolly Parton draws biggest crowd at UK's Glastonbury

Published June 30, 2014
US country music singer Dolly Parton performs on the Pyramid Stage, on the final day of the Glastonbury Festival of Music and Performing Arts on Worthy Farm in Somerset, southwest England, on June 29, 2014. – Photo by AFP
US country music singer Dolly Parton performs on the Pyramid Stage, on the final day of the Glastonbury Festival of Music and Performing Arts on Worthy Farm in Somerset, southwest England, on June 29, 2014. – Photo by AFP
Fans enjoy the music as US singer Dolly Parton performs on the Pyramid Stage, on the final day of the Glastonbury Festival of Music and Performing Arts on Worthy Farm in Somerset, southwest England. – Photo by AFP
Fans enjoy the music as US singer Dolly Parton performs on the Pyramid Stage, on the final day of the Glastonbury Festival of Music and Performing Arts on Worthy Farm in Somerset, southwest England. – Photo by AFP
Guitarist Richie Sambora from Bon Jovi joins American country music star Dolly Parton to perform on the Pyramid Stage at Worthy Farm in Somerset, during the Glastonbury Festival. – Photo by Reuters
Guitarist Richie Sambora from Bon Jovi joins American country music star Dolly Parton to perform on the Pyramid Stage at Worthy Farm in Somerset, during the Glastonbury Festival. – Photo by Reuters

LONDON: Country music star Dolly Parton drew the biggest crowd of Britain's Glastonbury music festival on Sunday, regaling the dusty crowd with hits while dressed in a white diamante suit.

Over 100,000 people are believed to have seen Parton perform hit songs such as 9 to 5, Jolene and Coat of Many Colours, her publicists said in a statement after the show.

Parton told the crowd it was an “honour and a thrill” to perform at the festival.

“I've been waiting a lifetime for this and of course we want all of you to have the best time,” she said.

The crowds chanted Parton's name and clapped and danced as she performed, with some fans dressed up as the glamourous musician in tribute.

All walkways leading to the Pyramid Stage where Parton performed were full, and some festival-goers complained they could not see the diminutive star.

Backstage, Parton was given an award to recognise her selling 100 million albums over a career that has spanned five decades.

Parton's much-anticipated performance marked the final day of the festival, where heavy metal band Metallica played on Saturday.

The 68-year old star performed a song about mud that she wrote for the five-day festival, which is notorious for its ground turning to deep sludge when it rains.

“I thought I had to write a song about the Glastonbury mud, even though the sun's shining today,” Parton told a press conference before her performance.

The star said she felt at home at the festival, which is held on Worthy Farm in the Somerset countryside, because of her upbringing in rural Tennessee.

“I'm just a country girl and now I feel like a rock star,” she said.

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