Who IS Dolly Parton? In the 1960s, she was the Nashville “girl singer” with the big, blonde hair. In the 1970s and 1980s, she was a country-turned-pop superstar. Today, she’s a business woman, philanthropist and global icon.

Common among all these versions of Dolly Parton are her incredible gifts as singer, songwriter and musician.

Vanessa and the Jealous Guys bring their 8-piece band show – The Dolly Parton Experience – to the Brunswick Ballroom to celebrate the music of one of popular music’s greatest talents.

Vanessa Wawruszak is a Melbourne-based singer. In her spare time she drives trains and listens to Merle Haggard.

The Jealous Guys – more commonly known as James Ellis and the Jealous Guys – are a Victorian-based country and honky band. They have released two albums of original music: It Ain’t Texas (But It Ain’t Bad) and Country Lion, the first of which won The Age Music Victoria Award – Best Country Album in 2018. They are regulars in Melbourne’s honky tonk live music scene and at country music festivals around Australia.

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JOOST BAKKER is the creator of hospitality venues Greenhouse by Joost and Silo By Joost, as well as the building company Built By Joost. Over the last two decades he has worked on a multitude of concepts and products that have encompassed sustainable design practices. Driven by making a difference to the world, Joost's innovations in building materials, waste treatment and nutrition are attracting global interest. Living in a time where there are many challenges and uncertainties regarding resources and the state of the environment, people are welcoming Joost's pioneering ideas and thinking. Joost is regularly invited to share the principles behind what he does, in order to inspire others to contribute to a better future. He has just released his first film “Greenhouse by Joost” in cinemas now

KUTCHA EDWARDS has been prolifically combining songwriting and activism since 1991, when he joined Koori group Watbalimba and began the remarkable journey that has taken him from the tiny Riverina town of Balranald to tours of Australia and the world. It is his experiences as a member of the Stolen Generations and his proud Mutti Mutti heritage that has shaped his diverse creative output in groups like Blackfire and the Black Arm Band. At the same time he's also been able to forge a successful solo career combining his ‘Bidgee’ blues with traditional songs of people and country.

MICHAEL LUCAS is a multi-award-winning screenwriter and producer best known for penning heart-warming dramas and offbeat romantic comedies. Lucas made his feature debut with Not Suitable For Children, which opened the 2012 Sydney Film Festival and won the Australian Writer’s Guild Award for best original feature screenplay, in addition to receiving five AACTA nominations.  From 2010 to 2014, Michael was a core writer and script producer of Network Ten’s much-loved series Offspring.  Michael then stepped up to creating and producing TV series, starting with 2014’s six-part political drama Party Tricks. He went on to co-create the contemporary drama Five Bedrooms, now enjoying its third season on Paramount Plus. And most recently he created, wrote and produced the acclaimed ABC drama The Newsreader, which drew 16 AACTA nominations, winning five, including ‘Best Television Drama’.

TIM LOVEDAY is a poet, a writer, an editor and a clown-lark. as the recipient of a 2021 next chapter wheeler centre fellowship, 2021 melbourne city arts grant and a 2021 varuna residential fellowship, he aims to challenge toxic masculinity in australia. his poetry/prose has appeared in meanjin, cordite, the big issue, mascara, and meniscus, among others. a neurodivergent dog parent, he is the content editor at hyperviolet designs, the verse editor for the creative hub of extinction rebellion and iped’s student advisor (victoria branch). in 2021 he completed his associate degree in professional writing and editing at rmit with a perfect gpa.

WITH MORE SPECIAL GUESTS TO BE ANNOUNCED

Following a short intermission, event moderator and creator CLEMENTINE FORD will host a 30 minute conversation with the performers on stage.

This event will be recorded for podcast

WHEN: Sunday February 12th

WHERE: The Brunswick Ballroom

WHAT TIME: Doors from 6pm. 

HOW MUCH: $40 + bf

TICKETS FROM: www.brunswickballroom.com.au