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The Dolly Show: Kelly O'Brien's Dolly Parton tribute
“Kelly O’Brien transforms into an uncanny Dolly Parton… It seems, however, that she is far too good at her particular nine to five.”
“Kelly! Don’t you look fantastic! Goodness me, it’s like Dolly’s in the room.”
Lorraine Kelly, ITV
“Fabulous!”
Frieda Parton
(Dolly’s sister)
“You look fantastic!”
Steve Summers
(Dolly’s creative director)
“You are truly amazing inside and out!”
Shelley Rena
(Dolly’s cousin)
“I am literally obsessed with what an amazing artist you are.”
Jada Star (Artist & Dolly’s niece!)
“One of the world’s best tribute acts.”
BBC Press Office
“The voice is unmistakable. Pure soft Tennessee, with a hint of a lisp that makes it all the more charming.”
Kathryn Knight, Daily Mail
“Kelly O’Brien transforms into an uncanny Dolly Parton… It seems, however, that she is far too good at her particular nine to five.”
Katie Prescott, The Times
“I’m blown away.”
Alison Hammond, ITV This Morning
“I thought it was Dolly!”
Jonathan Ross, The Last Leg
“You look magnificent”
Tina Daheley, BBC Radio 2
“Kelly! Don’t you look fantastic! Goodness me, it’s like Dolly’s in the room.”
Lorraine Kelly, ITV
As seen on!
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The ultimate Dolly Parton tribute
Kelly O’Brien is the world’s number one Dolly Parton tribute and the star of The Dolly Show, a live theatre concert celebrating the music and life of Dolly Parton.
Endorsed by the Parton family, Kelly has worked as Dolly’s body double for film for Dolly Parton Enterprises, and was the only UK finalist in #SearchForDolly, Dolly Parton’s 2025 global casting search for her Broadway musical. She was named the UK’s Official No.1 Dolly Parton tribute at the National Tribute Music Awards.
Australian-born Kelly has performed as Dolly since 2007. With a live band, she sings Dolly’s greatest hits, including Jolene, 9 to 5, Islands in the Stream, Coat of Many Colours and I Will Always Love You, with the voice, wit and warmth that made Dolly a legend. From the 22-inch waist to the 32G bust, the likeness is uncanny. It’s like Dolly is right there in the room with you.
Kelly is touring the UK, USA and Australia with Decades of Dolly, and a share of the profits from every show goes to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which sends free books to young children.
As seen on BBC One, BBC Breakfast, ITV’s This Morning and Lorraine, Channel 4’s The Last Leg, Channel 5 and Sky News. Featured in The Times, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, the Financial Times, the Daily Mail, the Daily Mirror, The Sun and Metro.
Unforgettable Performances and Acclaimed Clients
Kelly performs The Dolly Show in theatres across the UK, USA, Australia and Scandinavia. She is available for festivals, private parties and corporate events worldwide.
Clients include Duran Duran, the Singapore Grand Prix, ITV, P&O Cruises, Hammersmith Apollo, Glastonbury, Camp Bestival, the Great British Care Awards, Ministry of Sound and the Red Sky Charity Foundation.
Kelly has shared a bill with Craig David, The Human League, Groove Armada, Mel C, The Kooks, Will Young and Beverley Knight, and performs at Pride events around the world, including Amsterdam, Maspalomas, Sitges, the Isle of Wight and Manchester.
In 2023 she toured Australia for the first time with Dolly Down Under and headlined the world’s first Dolly Parton festival, in New South Wales. In May 2025 she performed at City Winery in Nashville, with members of Dolly Parton’s family in the audience.
MEETING DOLLY
In 2011, when Dolly brought her Better Day tour to London’s O2 Arena, Kelly won a competition to meet her.
“When I met her, it was like magic. I was in complete awe. It was very surreal. There is so much you want to ask Dolly Parton, but when I stood there next to her, I couldn’t think of anything to say. Luckily, she started chatting away about Dolly impersonators and how much she loves and values them. She gave me her blessing. I will never forget that day as long as I live.”
— Kelly O’Brien
Honouring Dolly’s legacy
Since Dolly’s death, Kelly has continued to tour The Dolly Show as a celebration of her life and music, with a share of the profits from every show going to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
“She was a great artist, a hugely successful businesswoman, a philanthropist and a very warm, decent human being. I’m as much a fan of her as a person and a humanitarian as I am of her as a musician, and that’s saying something.”
— Kelly O’Brien, speaking to The People’s Friend, August 2026
Latest News
✨ 5-Star Cameo Reviews for The Dolly Show ✨
Want a little Dolly sparkle for someone special? Kelly O’Brien is available on Cameo for personalised video messages – and the reviews have been fabulous! 🌟Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary, special celebration or simply a surprise for a Dolly fan, Kelly creates each message personally, with plenty of warmth, humour
The Dolly Show Goes Global – UK, USA & Australia Tours! 🌎✨
The Dolly Show is hitting the road with dates across the UK, USA and Australia!Join multi-award-winning Kelly O’Brien and her incredible live band for Decades of Dolly – a spectacular celebration of the life, music and legacy of the one and only Dolly Parton.From the early country classics through to
💕 In Memory of Dolly Parton 💕
On 25 August 2026, the world lost the incredible Dolly Parton – and it is still very difficult for me to put into words just how much she meant to me.For the past 20 years, I have had the extraordinary privilege of performing as Dolly. What started as a job
✨ Featured in Alice Hawkins’ Dear Dolly ✨
I am truly honoured to be featured in a full chapter of Alice Hawkins’ incredible book Dear Dolly, published by Baron Books. Alice is not only an extraordinary photographer but also a remarkable human being, and it was a privilege to be part of such a powerful and creative project. Dear
Exciting News – Kelly O’Brien Makes the Top 15 in Dolly Parton’s #SearchForDolly Competition!
Exciting News – Kelly O’Brien Makes the Top 15 in Dolly Parton’s #SearchForDolly Competition! We are beyond thrilled to share that Kelly O’Brien, the star of The Dolly Show, has made it into the TOP 15 in the world for Dolly Parton’s #SearchForDolly competition! In an extraordinary global search, Dolly Parton and her team launched a social media
THE TIMES ON SUNDAY
Kelly appears here in the Times on Sunday magazine celebrating the music of Glastonbury.Photographer Gareth Iwan Jones captured these amazing photos in Kelly’s home of Aldbury, Hertfordshire.“I love the pics with my dogs best.” Says Kelly Learn more about Kelly O’Brien and her career on our About page.