Thursday 19 January 2012

Birthday Girl Dolly makes a Joyful Noise

Birthday Girl Dolly makes a Joyful Noise

Joyful Noise film reviews, NPR Dolly Interview, Tattoo controversy, Soundtrack details, Secrets To 45 Years of Marriage, Book scheme, Twitter and her years in pictures.

Links / Source shown in RED


Today January 19, 2012 marks the 66th birthday on one of country music’s biggest superstars Miss Dolly Parton. She was born Dolly Rebecca Parton on January 19, 1946 in Sevierville, Tennessee.
Dolly continues to show no signs of slowing down. In late June 2011 she released BETTER DAY marking her 41st studio album. She then embarked on a 49 show BETTER DAY tour taking in her first visit to Australia in 30 years, the tour grossed over $33 million (Billboard Source)

After a near 20-year break from the movies, she hadn’t made a major feature since 1992's Straight Talk she is back on the big screen in the film JOYFUL NOISE. Dolly made her mark on screen with such '80s movies as Nine to Five and Steel Magnolias. In Joyful Noise, Parton plays the role of G.G. Sparrow a choir director's widow who joins forces with Queen Latifah's mother of two teens to save the Pacashau gospel choir after the death of her husband.

Film Reviews are mixed
Joyful Noise – Flyer (See Photo)

Watch the Trailer - Youtube

Joyful Noise Image
Dolly Parton as G.G
In the movie Parton gets the most laughs with some country-fried turns of phrases including "Don't you look as happy as a puppy waggin' two tails?" and there are other memorable one-liners including a swipe at a country tradition: "You're so country, you've been married three times and you've still got the same in-laws!". Just like Dolly Parton's character, G.G. tells Vi Rose: "Well, I am who I am." (Vi Rose's response is another one of those zingers peppered throughout the film. "Well, maybe you were... five procedures ago!")


Reviews of Dolly Parton’s new movie Joyful Noise have been less than complimentary to the country music star, who celebrates her 66th birthday next week. The New York Times critic, Stephen Holden, went so far as to summarise the movie, "A lower echelon of musical comedy hell (or heaven, if you love the hoariest musical comedy cliches)."
The film, which also stars Queen Latifah, Keke Palmer and Jeremy Jordan, centres around a gospel choir who face internal fighting and struggles as they prepare for a national competition. It features the choir singing gospel versions of a number of popular songs, including 'Man In The Mirror' by Michael Jackson.

The Chicago Sun Times critic Roger Ebert remarked on its musical content by saying "The strange thing is that it makes no particular effort to please its target audience, which would seem to be lovers of gospel choirs."

Melissa Anderson of Village Voice called the movie "A hot holy mess of the sacred and the inane."
It wasn't all bad news for the lightweight musical comedy, though. The Washington Post's Stephanie Merry argued that "despite some mawkish dialogue, there's something to be said for leaving the theater with a smile."

AP Movie Critic—Christy Lemire rated it One and a half stars out of four:  Joyful Noise' never really sings” ... If some incarnation of "Glee" were to be developed for the Christian Broadcasting Network, it would probably look a lot like "Joyful Noise

Joyful Noise Movie Image


Michelle Solomon of  wapt.com  , Pittsburgh News – “Great Cast, Inspiring Music Gives Movie Lift”...
The cast of "Joyful Noise" could sell just about anything. Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Jeremy Jordan and Keke Palmer are all so dang talented, you can bypass the overly sugary sentiment of this feel-good film, and just sit back and enjoy the ride.......While the script never really sings, the incredible music and amazing arrangements -- gospel takes on Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror," the Beatles' "Maybe I'm Amazed" and Sly and the Family Stone's "Higher" -- will knock your socks off. "Joyful Noise" is about those high notes.

Barbara Vancheri, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  - “Joyful Noise' hits some hollow notes”... "Joyful Noise" is a bit like co-star Dolly Parton. It's got so much going on -- and exaggerated -- that you're not sure where to look.....Ms. Parton's plastic surgery -- unmistakable on the big screen -- is acknowledged but frankly distracting. Nevertheless, the movie is engineered to be a crowd-pleaser with many more secular songs than you might expect .....It's clear the movie's heart is in the right place, even if its script is a holy hot mess.

Matt Bjorke,  Roughstock - With the popularity of Glee, the timing is definitely ripe for musical films to once again rise to prominence.... While the quick pacing and plot is strong enough to guide the film’s non musical moments, it really is the music of the film, the soundtrack that is the biggest star of the show...... In fact the Dolly Parton-penned song “From Here to the Moon and Back” is one of the highlights of the film along with Queen Latifa’s “Fix Me” and Karen Peck’s “Mighty High.” Joyful Noise delivers exactly what one should want to go to the movies for: to be entertained. It’s a heartfelt, fun film with a strong cast. The message of love, acceptance, overcoming tough obstacles despite hard times is something that never gets weighty and leaves you feeling very happy while leaving the theatre.

Tattoo
Dolly Parton's performance in the film may not have attracted rave reviews but a new chest tattoo that she appears to have between her breasts has certainly been turning heads. The small bouquet of flowers was just visible when she wore a low-cut dress to the fim’s premiere.

A photo of Parton appears to show a rose tattoo in her cleavage – but the country superstar insists it was fake. On her 66th birthday, footage of Dolly on the Anderson Cooper talk show will be aired discussing her new film, “Joyful Noise,” her successful career, and the controversial things she's said through the years. A clip of Dolly's interview was posted to People here denying that the photo of her supposed new tattoo between her boobs was real. The Daily Mail hosted this photo of said tattoo nestling between those smoky mountains.

"Was that not the ugliest picture you've ever seen?" Parton scoffed, when Anderson Cooper asked her about the tattoo on his talk show. "That looks like something obscene.” Do you see that? Do you see it?" she went on, lowering her dress for Cooper and the audience as proof that her sizable chest was unadorned.
An uncomfortable-looking Cooper admitted he didn't, but later asked: "Do you have tattoos?"
"
I might," she responded. "But I'm not going to show 'em 'til they catch me at it."

In Tough Times, Dolly Parton Makes A 'Joyful Noise'
Dolly speaking from New York tells Michel Martin, host of NPR's Tell Me More, that it's a good time for the feel-good movie, which is about "a little town that's going through their problems, like everyone is these days
LISTEN to the 10 minute interview HERE

Director Todd Graff told Nell Minow of the Movie Mom blog that the country music star's reputation for being prolific is not undeserved.
Graff said that when he asked Parton to revise a song she'd written to better fit the film, "she would say, 'If you don't like it, I'll write another one. It only takes me an hour.' "
In all, Parton ended up writing 12 songs, some of which she hopes to rework for future demos.
"Well, I love to write," the Grammy Award-winning singer says. "Especially when I've got a challenge."
Parton, who can play 12 instruments but can't read music, says songwriting comes naturally to her. "I just need a subject," she says, "and I'm off and running, 'cause I know how to rhyme, and I love the music, and I just go for it."

Joyful Noise Soundtrack debuts at # 1 !
The film soundtrack hit the stores on 10th January published by WaterTower Music under exclusive license to Sony Music Entertainment. 
Joyful Noise Soundtrack
CD Art (Amazon image)


JOYFUL NOISE debuts this week at #1 on Billboard’s Soundtrack Chart, #2 on Billboard’s Independent Current Albums chart, and landed a Top 20 debut on Billboard’s Top Current Albums chart.

Dolly is featured on four of the album’s twelve tracks, three of which Dolly wrote specifically for the film – “Not Enough”, “From Here to the Moon and Back” and the current single, “He’s Everything”, available now on Amazon and iTunes.

The soundtrack is available from Amazon.uk as a CD or as downloads in MP3 format

The track listing is as follows:
  1. “Not Enough” – Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah
  2. “Man in the Mirror” – Keke Palmer
  3. “In Love” – Kirk Franklin
  4. “Maybe I’m Amazed” – Jeremy Jordan and Keke Palmer
  5. “Fix Me, Jesus” – Queen Latifah
  6. “From Here to the Moon and Back” – Dolly Parton, Kris Kristofferson and Jeremy Jordan
  7. “I’m Yours” – Keke Palmer and DeQuina Moore
  8. “Mighty High” – Karen Peck
  9. “That’s the Way God Planned It” – Ivan Kelley feat. Our Lady of Perpetual Tears Choir
  10. “Higher Medley” – Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Keke Palmer, Jeremy Jordan, Andy Karl, Angela Grovey, DeQuina Moore
  11. “He’s Everything” – Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Keke Palmer, Jeremy Jordan, Andy Karl and DeQuina Moore
  12. “Joyful Noise Suite” – Mervyn Warren.
Listen to the album on Spotify- Dolly Parton – Joyful Noise
Recommended listening / download - “From Here to the Moon and Back” - LINK .
This is a really beautiful song with lyrics to match, she also wrote it for her real-life husband Carl Dean.

I would blow you a kiss from the star where I sat
I would call out your name to echo through the vast
Thank heaven for you and to God, tip my hat
From here to the moon and back
And I'll spend forever just proving that fact
From here to the moon and back

WATCH - Dolly Parton “From Here To The Moon And Back” on the The David Letterman show 11 January 2012 shown on CBS TV. – Youtube

Dolly Parton Reveals Secrets To 45 Years of Marriage

Dolly Parton and husband Carl Dean as many know are rarely publicly seen together. Speaking to Access Hollywood Dolly spoke candidly about her marriage of 45 years on Friday's Access Hollywood Live.
"He saw me walking outside of the Wishy Washy Laundromat the day I got to Nashville and that was in 1964. Two years later, we were married and I always make jokes of course that it's been wishy washy ever since, but it's worked," the “Joyful Noise" star told Billy Bush and Kit Hoover. "It was his first marriage and mine, I'm sure it'll probably be the last."

The happy couple, who will celebrate 46 years together in May, understands the importance of spending time apart.
"We're good friends first of all, and we knew each other before I got to be a star, so it's not like one of those where I have to worry that he loves me for some other reason than what we loved each other for [initially]," she explained. "He's very kind, very understanding, crazy, funny, and witty. He's a homebody... I have my freedom. He likes to stay at home and he doesn't want me in his face all the time and I don't want to be in it, so it works good!"

Adding, "We're very different and they say opposites attract... we respect each other's space and we like each other a lot."
As for her big screen partner, "Joyful Noise" co-star Queen Latifah; the 65-year-old star said they grew to be close friends while filming their feel-good choir comedy.
"She was just so warm and friendly. We were like sisters and we got along great we both have a warped sense of humor," she told Billy and Kit. "We both like to have a good time... it actually turned into a better friendship than I thought it might."

Dolly book scheme ‘should be extended’
The Yorkshire Post is reporting (17 Jan 2011) that a TRAILBLAZING reading scheme begun by country and western star Dolly Parton and tested in a Yorkshire town should be extended, Ministers have been told.
Wentworth MP John Healey wants more children to benefit from the Imagination Library, through which children are sent a book a month until their fifth birthday to develop reading skills.
The initiative, operated by Parton’s Dollywood Foundation, has been running in Rotherham since 2008 and is already showing signs of success, with children taking part in the scheme displaying more improvement than non-participants.

Dolly launched the Imagination Library in Tennessee to give youngsters hope of a better future, with part of the funding coming from her Dollywood Foundation. It has spread across American states and Rotherham was the first place in Britain to adopt.
Full story @ The Yorkshire Post

Twitter
Dolly's popular Twitter forum for sharing tour news, contesting and her famous "Dollyisms" topped the 1 million follower mark in April 2011 and heading for 1.5 million they are expanding!
Dolly Tweets: "Talkin' to a million people with the push of a button is exciting, and ya'll know how I like to talk. So, thank you for listening. Last year a little birdie told me about this Twitter thing and it seems to be doing pretty good. I'm proud to be a part of it!"

How will you be celebrating Dolly’s Birthday?
Johnny’s Saloon in Huntington Beach is honouring country music legend and actress Dolly Parton on her 66th birthday on Thursday with an evening filled of Dolly-related fun.
This third annual bash at Johnny’s features a look-a-like contest for guys and gals, a lasso challenge, a no-hands kissing challenge, whipped cream arm wrestling and, of course, a piƱata shaped like Parton’s ample bosom.

Dolly Parton in pictures
Dolly at 66 – Photo

WATCH - This through the year’s video pays tribute for Dolly's 66th Birthday. The song is "Butterfly" by Delta Goodrem.
Next month Dolly will be accepting a Lifetime Achievement award at The Grammys !


HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOLLY!!!

SOURCES Billboard, NPR Radio, Yahoo News, Access Hollywood, Yorkshire Post

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