On this day (February 18) in 1988, Porter Wagoner and the Wagonmasters appeared on Dolly Parton’s TV show, Dolly. The episode, titled “Nashville Memories,” was shot on location at the Ryman Auditorium and featured a long list of country music A-listers. However, Parton and Wagoner’s reunion was the highlight of the evening.
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Parton hosted two variety shows titled Dolly over the years. The first aired between 1976 and 1977. She walked away after a single season due to creative disputes and being overworked. A decade later, she was ready to try again. Despite Parton having more creative control and seemingly being happier with the show’s second iteration, it only ran for a single 26-episode season. At the time, variety shows had been out of fashion for nearly a decade.
Parton filmed “Nashville Memories” on location in multiple locations around Music City. The Grand Ole Opry House, RCA Studio B, and Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge were all featured in the episode. However, the segment with Wagoner and his band fittingly took place at the Ryman Auditorium–the Mother Church of Country Music. The episode aired two months later, on April 16.
Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner Reunite After 14 Years
Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner’s professional relationship effectively ended in 1974 when she announced her exit from his variety show. So, in February 1988, they hadn’t shared a stage in 14 years.
After some banter and reminiscing, Wagoner and Parton performed a jingle for Black Draught laxatives before sharing some clips from The Porter Wagoner Show. The pair then performed a medley of songs that included “The Last Thing on My Mind,” “Holding on to Nothin’,” and “Daddy Was an Old Time Preacher Man.”
Featured Image by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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