Dolly tribute band delights Whiteside County fairgoers

MORRISON – For nearly two hours Thursday, a Dolly Parton tribute artist from Las Vegas performed to a lively audience of hundreds at the Whiteside County Fair.

The grandstands were filled with young and old alike, all enjoying the southern charms and enthusiastic etiquette of Karen Hester, who goes by Karen as Dolly, as she channeled the Queen of Country in her own wholesome way.

The show featured lots of y’alls and yeehaws and an overall message of love and kindness.

Karen as Dolly – the 2021 winner of Clash of the Cover Bands on E! – and her six-man band serenaded the crowd with classics such as “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” and “I Will Always Love You,” but also mixed it up with songs by Bon Jovi and Elvis Presley.

She even brought audience member Amy Davis of Morrison up on stage to put on “magic Elvis glasses” and provide back-up for “All Shook Up.”

Zuri Finnicum, 12, of Morrison was spotted singing along while sitting on a concrete barrier. Although she likes all genres of music, she especially loves Parton’s music and said it was a great performance.

Sisters Jane Heath of Morrison and Rhonda Walters of Lone Tree, Iowa, enjoyed their first county fair show together since 2019. They grew up in White Pigeon, just north of Morrison, and have been attending the fair every year for more than six decades.

“The performance was amazing, and it’s great the fair could bring in this artist so we could hear Dolly’s music,” Rhonda said.

Before the final song of the evening, “Color Me America,” Dolly asked veterans in the audience to stand for a round of applause, and also thanked fire, police, and EMS personnel for keeping the fair attendees and their communities safe.

“America is about us coming together. We’re the human race,” she said to the crowd.