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Rumors that Dolly, Randy's superstar sister, would be at the opening “Little Bit of Life” show were untrue. But Randy performed a duet with the pre-recorded voice of his sister as photos of the two were displayed on a large projection screen above the stage.
The band members- some sporting cowboy boots - seemed like they had been playing together for years, instead of just a few weeks. From the twangy “Little Bit of Life” and the intense “Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde” to the softer “You'll Be in My Heart,” their on-stage chemistry lent itself to a pure, professional sound which was brought to the audience by a state-of-the-art sound system.
The Moonlight Bandits often seemed to steal the show from Parton, particularly when they showed off their individual talent.
Singers Lauren Grantham, Indy Ortiz and Parton's daughter Heidi Lou belted out “When God Fearing Women Get the Blues,” “Walk Away” and “Attitude,” respectively. Of all the Bandits, Pattie Hopkins shined the most with her flawless fiddle, also pulling out of her hat some powerful vocals during � Rocket.” A jam session led by Hopkins provided an opportunity for instrumental solos, during which the other musicians showcased their talent.
Parton indulged the audience in anecdotes about his family - he grew up poor in rural Tennessee with 11 siblings. He's always been close with Dolly, he noted, but back when the family shared a single bathroom, she was a “bathroom hog” who spent a lot of time primping and practicing singing, using the family's only hairbrush as a microphone.
“The rest of us would go to school with hair looking like Donald Trump,” Parton joked.
The humor continued when Parton engaged in an on-screen high-speed police chase during a family-friendly version of “Copperhead Road.”
Parton also sang a medley of tunes from his home state of Tennessee which included “The Tennessee Waltz” and “Rocky Top.” He also paid homage to Roanoke Rapids' rich history as a mill town with a song about Norma Rae. He brought more of his family members into the show with additional pre-recordings of two of his other sisters leading into “In the Pines,” and a recording of a story told by his late mother.
The audience must have seemed too comfortable in their seats, because about halfway through the show, Parton plucked Dawn Rossi out of the crowd, brought her up on stage as his “wife for the night” and serenaded her with “You Don't Have to Shave Your Legs for Me.” To prevent any hard feelings, he dedicated his next song to his real-life wife, Deb.
After a 20-minute intermission which provided the crowd an opportunity to try “Randy Parton Wine,” the band came back out, some wearing more elaborate costumes than before. Parton had changed into a cowboy hat and a rhinestone-encrusted vest that would make Dolly proud.
The Southeast Halifax High School Drum Corps Dancers brought the show back to life when they joined the band for a combination of stepping and percussion following the intermission.
The second half of the show also included Parton's rendition of James Taylor's “Carolina in My Mind.” As Parton sang, the projection screen above the stage featured a tribute to some other famous Tarheels, including Charlie Daniels, Dale Earnhardt, Michael Jordan and, of course, Roanoke Rapids Mayor Drewery Beale.
During Parton's performance of “In God We Trust,” most of the audience stood and applauded, and Parton received a standing ovation after the song, which turned out to be the last of the night.
After the show, Parton said he'd initially been “very, very nervous” when he took the stage, but the audience's enthusiasm had put him at ease.
“It was very exciting,” he said. “The people were just great and we were received very well.”
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