Before she was a legend: Dolly Parton’s 1978 Wilmington concert remembered in 1981 UNCW letter
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — As fans around the world remember Dolly Parton following news of her death, a nearly 45-year-old letter from a UNCW campus publication is offering a remarkable glimpse into the country music icon’s history in Wilmington.
The letter, written by Tony Britt and published in The Seahawk on October 2, 1981, was sparked by something as simple as a trip to the library.
Britt wrote that he was thinking about upcoming concerts at UNCW, including Atlanta Rhythm Section and the Charlie Daniels Band, when he wandered into the library’s reference section and began looking through old Fledgling yearbooks.
What he found was a musical history of Wilmington.
In his letter, Britt listed a who’s-who of artists who had performed locally in the years before 1981.
And among those names was Dolly Parton.
Britt recalled that Parton had performed in Wilmington in 1978, alongside several other major acts of the era.
He also mentioned Heart, Foreigner, Andrew Gold, the Sanford-Townsend Band, Mother’s Finest, Brick, Firefall and Wet Willie among the artists who had played in the area.
The list continued.
Charlie Daniels and Jimmy Buffett had performed in Wilmington in 1977, with Buffett returning in 1976. Todd Rundgren and the Earl Scruggs Revue played in 1974, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1972 and Chicago in 1971.
Britt saved his biggest praise for a 1972 concert at Hanover Hall featuring Yes, writing that it was “probably the best concert” and noting the group was coming off three of its biggest albums.
But today, the reference to Parton stands out.
At the time Britt wrote the letter, Parton was already an established country music star. But the career that would make her a global cultural icon was still unfolding.
Her Wilmington appearance in 1978 is now part of the area’s musical history — a moment when a future legend came to town and performed before generations of fans could know just how extraordinary her legacy would become.
Britt ended his letter with a simple purpose: he wanted to get fellow students “into the concert spirit” for the upcoming show.
More than four decades later, his words offer something else — a snapshot of a Wilmington music scene that once welcomed some of the biggest names in entertainment.
And tucked inside that list is a name that carries even more meaning today: Dolly Parton. A legend who once took the stage in Wilmington — and whose music, generosity and unmistakable personality will continue to resonate for generations.
