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Elvis On A Date With Dolly Parton

April 24, 2006 | Other
They're both timeless music icons, and now through the magic of modern special effects, Elvis Presley and Dolly Parton are taking a "Tennessee Road Trip" in a new TV ad featuring two of the state's most renowned entertainers.

Elvis and Dolly's road-tripping commercial comes by way of the Tennessee Department Of Tourism, and will air this summer to promote travel hot spots throughout the state.

To create the effect, Dolly was digitally transplanted into a scene from Elvis' 1967 film 'Clambake.' The updated scene has the pair driving along a highway with the top down.

The commercial opens with Parton riding shotgun in a 1967 Corvette Stingray convertible, with the driver unseen. After a series of Tennessee tourist sites are pictured — Graceland and Beale Street, among them — Parton returns, and the driver is revealed.
"Let’s pick it up a little bit, honey. There’s all kinds of things to do in Tennessee," says Parton, who was filmed in Knoxville and then digitally placed in the car, "But next time, let’s take the pink Cadillac."

The spot signifies the first time Elvis has digitally appeared with another celebrity for a television commercial.

According to Dolly, the commercial was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. "Riding in a convertible with Elvis? What more could a girl ask for?" she gushed. "I am so proud of my Tennessee heritage, and I am thrilled and incredibly honored to be promoting our great state alongside the world's most legendary superstar."

Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen commented, "The idea behind the commercial is to bring together two international stars that symbolize Tennessee's unparalleled musical history. The commercial is a positive, energetic and unforgettable celebration of Tennessee's past, present and future."

Both superstars have famous tourist destinations that bring visitors to the state from all over the world -- Dolly's Smoky Mountain family amusement park, Dollywood, and the King's Graceland Estate, which was recently named a National Landmark.

The ad is also part of the new "Elvis Is" marketing and merchandise campaign. "When Elvis fans around the world see our branding online, in ads, on billboards and other places, they are thrilled that they can also find merchandise featuring those same designs," said Carol Butler, Director of Worldwide Licensing for Elvis Presley Enterprises.

Get a sneak peek behind-the-scenes tonight on ET to see how the special effects for the commercial were crafted using state-of-the-art technology!

You can watch the viseo at: http://elvis.com/graceland/special/video_elvis-dolly.asp
Source:Various
Jth wrote on April 24, 2006
"When Elvis fans around the world see our branding online, in ads, on billboards and other places, they are thrilled that they can also find merchandise featuring those same designs" - I doubt it!
Gladyslove wrote on April 25, 2006
It´s funny, don´t you think ?
cathyreno wrote on April 25, 2006
that is bloody fantastic... I love adds like that its amazing what you can do with digital hope to see it on our screens here in Ireland
Narek wrote on April 25, 2006
This news really pissed me off. First of all a very important thing that might not be very clear to some Americans. OUTSIDE THE USA NOBODY KNOWS WHO DOLLY PARTON IS!!! She's a talented singer, very popular among country music lovers in the USA but for us, non-Americans she's not a big star, she's not a legend and definitley is not a person to be equalled to Elvis. I still find her talented, but the phenomenon of Elvis is that he conquered the world, while Dolly conquered only the USA. If the ad makers needed someone famous to signify Tennessee, why not BB King.The whole world knows the man, of course he's not a blonde, and has smaller bo*bs, but that at least wouldn't deminish Elvis' status and would be a better move in attracting tourists to Memphis or Tennessee in general. This was agreat gift to Dolly Parton. I've noticed that she's trying to position herself as big as Elvis, I heard she opened some kind of Dollyland or Dollywood, a parody of Graceland. Who she thinks she is? How about the really great country musicians like Hank Williams? So what's next? Elvis and ... (trying to remember someone else known only in the US) Roy Acuff?
Sylvain wrote on April 25, 2006
This is great. Dolly, I will always love you.
Teacher wrote on April 25, 2006
Armenian Elvis, you might want to read this: Parton is perhaps the most-honored female country performer of all time. She holds 25 U.S. gold, platinum and multi-platinum honors from the RIAA. She has seen 25 songs reach No. 1 on the Billboard country charts, a record for a female artist. She has 41 career top 10 country albums, a record for any artist, and 110 career charted singles over the past 40 years. All inclusive sales of singles, albums, hit's collections, paid digital downloads and compilation usage during Parton's career have reportedly reached 100 million records around the world. She has received seven Grammy Awards and a total of 42 Grammy nominations. In the American Music Awards, she has taken home the AMA trophy three times but seen 18 nominations. At the Country Music Association, she has received 10 awards and 42 nominations. At the Academy of Country Music, she has been given five awards and 36 nominations. She is one of only five solo women (others include Reba McEntire, Barbara Mandrell, Shania Twain, and Loretta Lynn), to win the Country Music Association's highest honor, "Entertainer Of The Year". She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6712 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, awarded in 1984; a star on the Nashville Star Walk for Grammy winners; and a bronze sculpture on the courthouse lawn in Sevierville, Tennessee. She was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 1969. In 1986, she was named one of Ms. Magazine's Women of the Year. She was given an honorary doctorate from Carson-Newman College in 1990. 1986 saw Parton's induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 1999, Parton received country music's highest honor, induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. This was followed by induction into the National Academy of Popular Music/Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001. She was honored in 2003 with a tribute album called Just Because I'm a Woman: Songs of Dolly Parton. The artists who recorded versions of Parton's songs included Melissa Etheridge ("I Will Always Love You"), Alison Krauss ("9 to 5"), Shania Twain ("Coat of Many Colors"), Me'Shell NdegéOcello ("Two Doors Down"), Norah Jones ("The Grass is Blue"), and Sinéad O'Connor ("Dagger Through the Heart"); Parton herself contributed a rerecording of the title song, originally the title song for her first RCA album in 1968. Parton was awarded the Living Legend medal by the U.S. Library of Congress on April 14, 2004, for her contributions to the cultural heritage of the United States. This was followed in 2005 with the National Medal of Arts, the highest honor given by the U.S. government for excellence in the arts. Her efforts to preserve the bald eagle through the American Eagle Foundation's sanctuary at Dollywood earned her the Partnership Award from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2003. And her national literacy program, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, has resulted in her receiving the Association of American Publishers' AAP Honors in 2000, Good Housekeeping's Seal of Approval in 2001 (the first time the seal had been given to a person), the American Association of School Administrators' Galaxy Award in 2002, Chasing Rainbows Award from the National State Teachers of the Year in 2002, and Child and Family Advocacy Award from the Parents As Teachers National Center in 2003. The program distributes more than 2.5 million free books to children annually across more than 40 states.
gary 1 wrote on April 25, 2006
''Outside of the usa nobody knbows who Dolly Parton is''.That is the best laugh i've had all day.
Teacher wrote on April 25, 2006
Parton invested much of her earnings into business ventures in her native East Tennessee, notably Pigeon Forge, which includes a theme park named Dollywood and a dinner show called Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede. The area is a thriving tourist attraction, drawing visitors from large parts of the Southeastern and Midwestern United States. This region of the U.S., like most areas of Appalachia, has suffered economically for decades; Parton's business investment has revitalized the area. She also owns Sandollar Productions, a film and television production company, which produced the Fox TV Show Babes and Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the features Father of the Bride I & II, Straight Talk, Sabrina, and Academy Award-winning (for Best Documentary) Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt, among other shows. Sanddollar is co-owned by Sandy Gallin, Parton's former manager.
Narek wrote on April 26, 2006
Teacher, I know all that, that's not the point of what I'm saying. Every country has their huge stars. You can't even imagine how great Alla Pugacheva is in Russia. But have you ever heard that name??? I'm sure no. But in Russia she's really huge, she's #1 she's a legend and inventor. BUT nobody outside former USSR knows her. It doesn't make her smaller, simply she's not a world legend. While Elvis is. What I'm saying is that ELvis and Dolly are stars of different CATEGORIES. Dolly is really big IN THE US but nothing outside the country. While Elvis is the King for the whole wide world and that's a fact no one can argue with. The whole world knows him. That's why to non American fans seeng Elvis with Dolly Parton is like seeing Beatles with a Blink 182. That's my point. Different categories. Who could stand next to Elvis? Say Marilyn Monroe, but not Dolly. In fact that is not such a bad idea, imagie that same commercial with marlyn, Elvis picks her in his car and says "Marilyn baby let me show you my Tennessee" or something like that. That would have the same effect, would bring tourists to TN and would not deminish Elvis.
Narek wrote on April 26, 2006
gary1, can't see what amused you so much, theres a HUGE world outside North America. Places like Europe, China, Africa and stuff like that. Places where people just don't understand country music and that's normal cos country music is pure American. So how and why would we be crazy about Dolly Parton? Moreover think she's equal to Elvis? That's ridiculous!
Narek wrote on April 26, 2006
Let's looka at facts, not opinions. UK chart is the most prestigious chart for Europe. Elvis 18 #1 hits more that even Britain's precious Beatles. Dolly 0 does this digit say something? 0=nothing (just one #7 album)
ta2k wrote on April 26, 2006
Elvis has 21 No.1s-not 18! Sorry if that is nit-picking but it had to be mentioned.TCB
Narek wrote on April 26, 2006
as usually it depends on how people count. The whole thing over A little less Conversation was that both Elvis and Beatles each had 17 #1s and the remix gave the leadership to Elvis...so I'm sure there are few versions on how many #1 Elvis has in UK
EspenK wrote on April 26, 2006
I can only speak on behalf on us Norwegians (and hardly even that) but Dolly Parton is known here. Problem is, what she's known for is a vulgar look, her oversized hair and front, and hillbilly music that only truck drivers listen to. Hardly someone I'd like to see associated with Elvis.
ta2k wrote on April 26, 2006
Armenian Elvis,there are no varying versions of Elvis` No.1s...he has unarguably had 21! TCB.
cathyreno wrote on April 27, 2006
lads lads its appropriate thats its Dolly Parton cause its a add for Tenessee and both of them are/were southern quit squbbling its a great add
Lefty wrote on April 27, 2006
Kudos to the Tennessee Dept of Tourism! Someone in their marketing department is brilliant!! Dolly has got to be one of the nicest people on the planet. It's great to see her coupled with Elvis. If memory serves, I think Elvis was going to record one of her songs? The deal fell through because the Colonel wanted to own the publishing rights, or something like that. Anyway, if you don't know who Dolly Parton is, get to know her! You're in for a treat!
Narek wrote on April 27, 2006
ta2K I see what you mean, but Jailhouse Rock, I Got Stung/One Night and It's Now or Never were number one twice, that's why you say 21 and I say 18
gilesm wrote on April 28, 2006
I think this is great ! Considering that this advert was intended for the USA market to bring tourists to the area I thik it's fine. Never mind about 'who is greatest' "who has sold the most' etc, here we have Elvis being protrayed in cool, modern way ! After all Elvis and Dolly are resposible for two of the biggest attractions in the state, so it is very appropriate that the advertising uses them both. My only regret is that Elvis is 'silent' it would have been so cool if they could have used a clip with some original dialogue, to interact with Dolly P. Well done to all involved.
ta2k wrote on April 28, 2006
Yes Armenian Elvis,they were,That was the point of the re-releases.It is not `my opinion`that Elvis has 21,it is a recorded,listed,historical fact! TCB.
RacingRocks wrote on April 28, 2006
Ask any musician that has worked with her and they will tell you that Dolly Parton is one of the meanest people in show business.
Steve V wrote on May 03, 2006
RacingRock - you are correct. I have met Dolly on several occasions in NYC and she never even signs autogrpahs for her fans. Not one I want associated with Elvis who always had time for his fans. Nuff said!
Devon wrote on May 04, 2006
I watched it and i dont think so. Elvis was way too cool to hang out with dolly!!