Dolly Parton, on September 24, 2016, performed what would become her last full concert in the Bay Area. The show, at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California, was part of her Pure & Simple Tour. The San Francisco Bay Times publishers, Betty Sullivan and Jennifer Viegas, along with contributor Elaine Viegas (Jennifer’s mother), attended the show—sitting in section 101, Row B, Seats 1–3. It was a splurge for them, but each had seen Parton previously and shared deep Southern roots with Parton. Sullivan is originally from Vicksburg, Mississippi, while Elaine’s family came from the Appalachian Mountains just a few hours away from Parton’s hometown of Locust Ridge and the famous “Rocky Top” mentioned in songs. Sadly, both Dolly and Elaine are no longer with us, giving memories of this concert added meaning.
This piece will look back on that night, from start to finish, to give those who did not attend some sense of what happened and to bring back memories for others reading this who were there.
The adventure began with the promotional video for the concert, released around May, that led to months of anticipation before the show.
When Betty, Jennifer and Elaine arrived at Shoreline, there was already plenty of excitement in the air that warm evening. During the drive to Mountain View, they listened to Parton’s music, with “Islands in the Sun” playing as they pulled into the parking lot and made their way into the amphitheatre.
Meanwhile, Dolly Parton was in her customized Prevost motorcoach, nicknamed the “Gypsy Wagon,” preparing for the show. She and her team had performed two nights earlier at Northern Quest Casino Outdoor Venue in Airway Heights (near Spokane), Washington, on September 22. Betty, Jennifer, and Elaine saw the custom tour bus parked in the backstage loading dock area. Performers enjoy Shoreline as much as guests often do, since the venue allows buses to use power hookups that negate the need for vehicle idling. The parking area for performers also connects directly to the dressing room wing, green rooms, and loading dock. This allows them to walk straight from their tour bus into the backstage facility or directly onto the stage area without entering public spaces.
For the performers, this was considered to be a “park, play, and roll out” show during the long tour, but the best care about each show and moment and that was the case here. It is also likely that Parton was looking forward to her bigger shows in Southern California, an area that was like a second home to her. (Parton over the years owned various properties in and around SoCal.)
After Betty, Jennifer, and Elaine found their seats, they took a video of the sold-out stadium. That is shown here, along with clips from the performance. Parton was bathed in light throughout the show, which somehow captured her life force and is how we think of her now.
The show was structured into two sets with an intermission, followed by an encore:
Set 1
Set 2
Encore
We are grateful that others at the show, no matter their seats and camera quality, took videos that help bring back to life that night.
When the show ended, the Gypsy Wagon headed off to Southern California for a performance at the Santa Barbara Bowl. Parton would then go on to perform 6 more shows on the tour before it ended in December. She was supposed to have a rest at home, but, towards the end of the tour, news reached her about massive wilfdfires impacting Eastern Tennessee.
Parton donated her time to help organize and co-host the “Smoky Mountains Rise: A Benefit for the My People Fund” telethon on December 13, 2016. It raised over $9 million for the victims and their families.
Nearly a decade later, on August 25, 2026, Parton died in her home state. She is widely recognized as having been one of the most prolific and impactful celebrity philanthropists of her time, and her legacy continues to benefit numerous charities.
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