Dolly Parton tribute artist honors late icon with concert, fundraiser at Blue Note Hawaii
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A taste of Nashville is heading to Oahu for an evening celebrating the life, music, and enduring legacy of country music icon Dolly Parton, who died late last month at age 80.
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Award-winning entertainer Kelly Vohnn joined HNN Sunrise Weekends to preview her upcoming tribute concert in Waikiki on Monday, Sept. 14, and perform a beloved Parton classic.
“I want them to walk away feeling like her spirit is going to carry on,” Vohnn said.
Vohnn said she was initially inspired to pay tribute to Parton to support herself as a single mother, but her admiration grew through the star’s generosity and community service.
“I was a single mom and I needed a paycheck. She paid my bills for many years, and I am in love with her,” Vohnn said. “During COVID, she was so active in helping people, making sure people were fine. She read to kids online and did so much. It made me realize how much of a humanitarian she really is. She’s a go-getter. She doesn’t talk about it. She does it.”
Vohnn, an accomplished vocalist formally trained at the Royal Conservatory of Music and Humber College, has headlined major Las Vegas productions including Country Female Superstars and EVOLVE, as well as a tribute show to Reba McEntire. Local audiences may also recognize Vohnn as the female lead from Hawaii’s award-winning variety show CabaRAE.
Her career includes sharing stages with music legends such as Barbra Streisand, Foreigner’s Lou Gramm, and Toto’s Bobby Kimball.
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Over the years, Vohnn has earned honors including the 2023 Silver State Award for Best Entertainer, “Entertainer of the Year” for Indies in Nashville, and “Canadian Country Artist of the Year.”
Supporting youth education
Beyond the music, the concert serves as a fundraiser for The Dollywood Foundation, an organization launched by Parton in 1988 to inspire and support youth educational success.
In the early 1990s, Parton introduced the foundation’s “Buddy Program,” personally pledging $500 to every seventh- and eighth-grade student in her home county who graduated from high school.
The initiative helped reduce the local high school dropout rate from 35% to just 6%, sparking broader community-driven support for education.
Show & ticket information:
Show starts at 7 p.m. (Doors open at 5 p.m.)
Tickets: $30-$45
Seating is first-come, first-served per section.
A full bar and dinner menu will be available during the performance, with a $20 food and beverage minimum required per person.
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