A Rare Three Way Performance From Dolly Episode 13
On 16 January 1988, Dolly brought together three performers from very different corners of American entertainment for one wonderfully unexpected musical moment. In Episode 13 of Dolly Parton’s ABC variety series, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers and Charles Durning joined forces for “Blaze of Glory,” creating one of those television performances that feels almost impossible to recreate today. The episode also featured comedian James Gregory, but the real attraction was the reunion of Dolly and Kenny, whose musical partnership had already produced some of the most memorable country crossover moments of the decade.
The show began with Dolly performing “Hoedown Showdown,” followed by “Islands in the Stream” with Kenny Rogers. The two then took questions from the audience, and Kenny presented Dolly with a birthday cake before leading everyone in singing “Happy Birthday.” Their appearance continued with a medley of “We’ve Got Tonight,” “Anyone Who Isn’t Me Tonight,” “Don’t Fall in Love with a Dreamer” and “Real Love.” It was a reminder of just how much musical history Dolly and Kenny already shared by 1988. Their voices had become instantly recognizable together, balancing Dolly’s bright, expressive soprano with Kenny’s warm, unmistakable baritone.
Then came Charles Durning, one of the most respected character actors of his generation. Durning was not there simply to stand beside the singers. He had his own musical moment in the program, performing “The Sidestep” from The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, the 1982 film in which Dolly starred alongside Burt Reynolds. Durning’s performance connected the television show to his celebrated acting career and to Dolly’s own history in film and musical comedy. He had already demonstrated that his talents extended well beyond dramatic acting, and his appearance gave the episode a distinctly theatrical flavor.
What makes “Blaze of Glory” especially memorable is the combination itself. Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers were among the biggest names in country music, while Charles Durning came from a completely different performance tradition. Yet the three shared the stage naturally, turning the number into a playful meeting of music, acting and television variety. The song, written by Danny Morrison, Johnny Slate and Larry Keith, had also been recorded by Kenny Rogers and Dolly together for their 1985 television special, making its appearance on Dolly another chapter in their continuing musical partnership.
By 1988, Dolly’s television series had become a showcase for exactly this kind of unexpected meeting. Her guests could range from country legends to Hollywood stars, comedians and musicians, while Dolly herself moved effortlessly between comedy sketches, dramatic moments and songs. Episode 13 is a particularly good example because it contains so many sides of her world in a single hour: Kenny Rogers, the trusted musical partner; Charles Durning, the acclaimed actor with a gift for musical performance; and Dolly herself, connecting both worlds with the warmth and spontaneity that made the series distinctive. The episode eventually closed with Dolly performing “I Will Always Love You,” giving the hour a much more intimate final note after the lively trio performance.
Watching Dolly, Kenny Rogers and Charles Durning perform “Blaze of Glory” today is therefore more than revisiting an old variety show. It preserves a very particular moment in 1980s entertainment, when television could bring three very different stars together simply because the combination was entertaining. Dolly was at the center of it all, Kenny was already one of her closest musical collaborators, and Durning brought the theatrical personality that made the performance so unusual. It is exactly the kind of forgotten television moment that becomes more fascinating with time, because everyone on that stage was already carrying a remarkable story of their own.