Couple’s tribute to Queen of Country Dolly Parton

Joe Curtis, 32, and Kay Molyneaux, 31, from Pennington in Leigh, have collaborated with a five-piece band to create a foot stompin’, thigh slappin’ production which celebrates five decades of the singer-songwriter’s music.

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Ms Molyneaux stars as “The Queen of Country” in the show - performing hit after hit from her “dirt poor” years through to the glitz and glam of her transition to pop.

The pair have been working nine to five on Dolly and The Moonshine Runners, which will be their debut appearance in theatres, for the past year and a half.

Mr Curtis will be providing the essential backing to his fiancée’s vocals on drums for The Moonshine Runners – the experienced musical group who will help perform the tracks.

Ms Molyneaux, who began her Dolly impersonation when she was just 19, said: “I have travelled all over the UK performing at a variety of venues and events, including festivals, pride events, holiday parks, charity events, weddings, corporate events, pubs, clubs and many more.

“The theatre shows are a huge step up and something that has been in the pipeline for a while now.

“The band love Dolly and they love playing her songs so it’s going to be great fun for us all!

“It’s a privilege and a pleasure to step on stage and perform my tribute to the ‘Queen of Country’.”

Mr Curtis, the musical director for the show, met his wife-to-be in Bahrain while he was a drummer for a band hired to play for cruise ships that toured the Middle East.

He said: “I have watched Kay perform as Dolly for ages now and knew she was too good to carry on doing pubs, so we decided to do a theatre production together.

“It is the first time that she has been backed by a full band and I am over the moon with how the other musicians have been in the rehearsals. We couldn’t have picked a better bunch of people.”

The tour is taking in the Midlands and North West during April and May. There is no Wigan borough gig so far but they are hoping to set one up.

Tickets available through the Facebook page Dolly and The Moonshine Runners.