A Dolly Parton fan who met the country singer in Manchester was too overwhelmed to tell her what she did for a living. Andrea Pattison, 55, has been working as a Dolly Parton tribute artist for over 20 years and said she was "heartbroken" after the loss of the country music icon.
The Grammy-winning country music legend passed away after a "brief battle with cancer", a representative confirmed after the news of her death broke on Tuesday. Andrea had been out having drinks with friends, where she assured them Dolly would be back in Vegas soon, when she came home to the dreaded news. She says she will continue to perform as a tribute artist for as long as she is able to help honour her memory.
A memorable meeting in Manchester
Andrea was lucky enough to meet her idol while Dolly was on tour in the UK and her friend won two places in a meet and greet to see her backstage at the Manchester Arena. In the moment, she was too overwhelmed to tell the singer what she did for a living, but the memory of their meeting still serves as a great comfort for Andrea now.
She told Talk to the Press: "I've been thinking back to meeting her fondly. We shared a laugh over our mothers making clothes for us as wee babies. It's a memory I always treasured, but it feels particularly precious on days like today. Dolly was a great inspiration to me and I love my job as her tribute act - I don't even imagine how I'll go on now."
Shared backgrounds and a lasting tribute
Andrea started off as a wedding performer aged 26 - but kept being told how much of a resemblance she bore to Dolly. Andrea says she and Dolly have a lot in common beyond just their appearance. "I grew up in a deprived background in Sunderland and I was one of six – Dolly was one of 12, so we are similar in that respect too," she said. "I got lots of hand-me-downs from my sisters as we were so poor. Dolly was also from a very poor background - she could have not amounted to anything but she was just so determined."
Dolly Rebecca Parton grew up in a humble family as one of twelve children in a small one-bedroom home in East Tennessee - a place that continued to inspire her throughout her career. She lived a simple childhood "chasing the beauty of butterflies, listening to Appalachian folklore and ancient ballads passed down by her relatives," her team describes.
Shock and tributes
The impersonator says that Dolly’s passing was the "last news I expected to hear", having performed to a crowd of 3,000 people as Dolly at Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, just a few days prior. Tributes from fans and celebrities have been flooding in since the news on Tuesday evening.
American singer Dionne Warwick said her heart was "heavy" and that she would miss Dolly Parton’s jokes following her passing. US President Donald Trump also paid tribute to the Grammy Award winning artist announcing that flags were to be lowered throughout America in Parton’s honour, posting on Truth Social "there has never been anyone like her".
Andrea, from Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, said: "I was in complete shock. I thought it was a hoax at first but soon the reality sank in. I barely slept at all last night after watching all the tributes. I just couldn't believe it - I would have sworn that she would live to 100 and be on the cover of Playboy."
