(CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Dolly Parton’s career brought her to central Illinois a number of times. She performed twice at the Illinois State Fair during the 1970’s and also played the old New Salem Country Opry in Petersburg.

Dolly Parton died Tuesday at 80.

She was also at the University of Illinois’ State Farm Center – then called the Assembly Hall – in 1977, 1986, and 1993. State Farm Center director of marketing Andrew Ziegler says the 1986 show – “the big one” – included Kenny Rogers, Lee Greenwood, and Sawyer Brown. “It was the Dolly-Kenny era and brought almost 12,000 people to the Assembly Hall,” said Ziegler.

Dolly’s appeal transcends most lines, if not all. Ziegler attributes that to “women’s rights and having to stand up for herself, in the time when she was getting started, in her roots from Appalachian bluegrass country, to eventually make it into the Hall of Fame for both country music and pop music.”

To sum up, said Ziegler, “I don’t think there will ever be another Dolly Parton.”