Dolly in Wilmington: A 1978 UNCW concert remembered nearly 50 years later
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Long before Dolly Parton became a global cultural icon, she was already winning over audiences in Wilmington.
Parton performed at the University of North Carolina Wilmington in 1978, during an era when some of the biggest names in music were making their way to the Cape Fear.
For Laura McLean that concert is a memory she has carried for nearly five decades. She was a theatre major at UNCW in the 1970s and served on the university’s concert and security committee. That gave her an opportunity to see some of the major musical acts performing in Wilmington.
But one artist stood out.
“Dolly Parton, I surely wasn’t going to miss that show,” McLean recalled.
She remembers arriving backstage during an afternoon break and finding Parton sitting in the driver’s seat of her tour bus, eating a tuna sandwich.
“She was absolutely adorable and charming and fantastic,” McLean said.
Parton was already a star at the time, but McLean says there was little about her demeanor that suggested she was too famous to connect with the people around her.
During the concert, McLean remembers Parton joking with the audience and quickly putting everyone at ease.
“She was totally friendly, warmed up the crowd, had a joke every second,” McLean said.
The 1978 performance was among the first major concerts held at Trask Coliseum, which had opened the previous year.
And Parton brought plenty of hits with her.
McLean remembers hearing “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You” and “Coat of Many Colors.”
“She brought the house down for sure,” McLean said.
Decades later, McLean remains a musician herself and says the experience left a lasting impression on her. So when she heard of Parton’s death, the memories came rushing back.
“It just put a pall on the rest of the day,” McLean said, describing the outpouring of love for Parton. She called Parton an “awesome role model.”
For McLean, Parton’s legacy goes beyond her music. It’s about doing your best, creating meaningful work and staying true to yourself.
“Always do your best, do impeccable art, don’t settle for less, and do it your way,” McLean said.
Parton’s Wilmington appearance was part of a remarkable era for live music at UNCW.
A 1981 letter published in The Seahawk looked back at some of the major acts that had performed in the Wilmington area, including Parton, Heart, Foreigner, Charlie Daniels and Jimmy Buffett.
Nearly 50 years later, McLean still remembers one detail most clearly: Dolly Parton sitting on a tour bus outside a Wilmington concert, eating a tuna sandwich and preparing to take the stage.
For McLean, that simple moment captured something about Parton that her decades-long career never changed — the ability to remain warm, funny, genuine and connected to the people who came to hear her sing.
