Country singer Jeanne Jordan sings Dolly Parton at The Beck (From Harrow Times)

Country singer Jeanne Jordan sings Dolly Parton at The Beck

11:46am Monday 28th June 2010 in

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Stand By Your Man, so the song goes and acclaimed country singer Jeanne Jordan will be doing just that at the Beck Theatre, Hayes next week when she joins her husband BJ Thomas for Dolly, a two-hour show featuring singers, dancers and musicians, celebrating the career of award winning legend, Dolly Parton. Jeanne and BJ will duet as the king and queen of country Kenny Rodgers and Dolly Parton.

Jeanne got her lucky break in the 1970s when she was working in Blighties in Farnworth, Manchester and met a member of a very famous local family.

Jeanne recalls: “I was singing and Tommy Cooper was on the same bill and Barbara Gibb was in the audience. After my set she came over to speak with me had we had a chat. A week or two later I was doing recordings and meeting all the boys. After that I was backwards and forwards to Vegas and Miami but I couldn't break ties with England. I love Nashville but I don’t want to live there.”

Jeanne tells me she learned a lot from the Gibb Brothers and has them to thank for her career as a country singer. Ten years ago, Jeanne and BJ began performing their own show as the Legends of Country and four years ago, their latest show, Dolly, came into being and last year it won best show in the British Country Music Awards.

What people tend to forget is that she’s a great songwriter too, she was behind the Fine Young Cannibals hit You Drive Me Crazy

Jeanne Jordan

Jeanne plays Dolly Parton with 29 year-old singer Emily Clark taking the role of young Dolly.

Between them, Jeanne and Emily showcase Dolly’s most memorable hits including 9 to 5, I Will Always Love You, Islands in the Stream, Jolene, Here You Come Again, Coat of Many Colors, among others.

I ask Jeanne what it is that most appeals to her about Dolly.

“She’s the ultimate country star and it’s an absolute pleasure to portray her. She’s a larger-than-life character, so I get to have big hair and fantastic costumes. We do our best to get the whole look but I don’t go as far as talking in an American accent.

What people tend to forget is that she’s a great songwriter too, she was behind the Fine Young Cannibals hit You Drive Me Crazy. Emily performs her version of that song in the show. She also wrote I Will Always Love You, which was such a huge hit for Whitney Houston.”

Jeanne is also pleased to have her close-knit family involved in the show.

“My son Luke is 21 and he’s in the show. He’s just returned from Nashville. Years ago I remember hearing all that bang, bang, bang music from his room but at 16 he joined the show and was hooked on country. My brother’s also in the show and my youngest son is backstage in the technical department and my sister does wardrobe and hair. It feels a bit like the von Trapps on tour, especially after show when we all get together and start singing.”

Dolly the show is at the Beck Theatre, Hayes, on Wednesday, July 7 at 7.30pm.

Details: 020 8561 8371, www.becktheatre.org.uk, www.dollypartonshow.com