One singer-songwriter from Los Angeles submitted her audition tape to play Dolly Parton in a Broadway musical despite a horrific wildfire and evacuation.
Parton announced a casting call for a musical based on her life last year. The plans of Haley Spence Brown, one half of the country duo The Doohickies, to try out for the part of Dolly were derailed last week when a series of destructive fires erupted in the Los Angeles area.
Brown, however, wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to appear in Parton’s musical.
The singer brought her acoustic guitar with her when she evacuated her house, but she didn’t take much of her recording or filmmaking gear. Her voice, which is strikingly similar to Parton’s, was much more significant. To hear the similarity for yourself, watch the video below:
The video begins with Brown saying, “Dolly’s gotten me through some really, really hard times and she’s doing it again today,” and it has since gone viral on TikTok.
In a startlingly accurate rendition of Parton’s voice, she remarks, “…I didn’t bring a microphone, so instead of that, you’re getting the rag-tag version, which kinda feels a little bit like Dolly’s start.”
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She continues with a performance of Parton’s “Wildflowers,” which was featured on the singer’s 1987 Trio album with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt.
Given the L.A. fires and all the individuals who have been hurt, died, or relocated as a result of the disaster, that specific song about perseverance and finding ways to bloom where you’re planted is a particularly moving selection.
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“This particular song has gotten me through some rough times, and I hope it can distract you for a minute,” Brown said. “Dolly is a helper and remains positive in the face of tragedy.”
Fans complimented Brown’s genuine performance of this well-loved Parton song in the comments section.
One reader remarked, “#SearchForDolly can stop right here,”
“This is the one! “Just pure talent, no tricks, costumes, or makeup,” someone else remarked.
Brown demonstrated her versatility at the end of the video by adding a little yodeling to her audition to make it stand out. “I can also play fiddle and I can play banjo, but you’ll have to call me back to hear that,” she said.
