Jill O'Rourke
Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit
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| January 21, 2022 SIGN IN TO SAVE POST
Evans Vestal Ward/E! EntertainmentReading Time: 2 minutes
It’s been several weeks now since Karen Hester won the first season of Clash of the Cover Bands with her incredible impersonation of country legend Dolly Parton. As part of her win, she received a $25,000 prize and the opportunity to perform on The Tonight Show.
‘Clash of the Cover Bands’ Winner Sings on ‘The Tonight Show’
This week, Hester took the stage on The Tonight Show to perform a medley of Parton’s biggest hits, including “9 to 5,” “Jolene,” and “Two Doors Down.” Hester wore a sparkly dress and Parton’s signature big blonde hair for the performance.
As we’ve come to expect from Hester, her impersonation of Parton’s voice and mannerisms was flawless, and she had a great rapport with the band. To make it even more perfect, she performed on Parton’s birthday. Fans on YouTube couldn’t believe their eyes and ears when watching the amazing performance.
“Holy cow. Not only the vocal impression but gestures,” wrote one commenter. “There has been a lot of work done to get to this level and I have utmost respect for it.”
Another commenter described Hester as “Dolly incarnate,” adding that they “literally have chills.”
https://youtu.be/ksSZgTQz2D4
SEE ALSO: ‘CLASH OF THE COVER BANDS’ RECAP: DOLLY PARTON TRIBUTE SOUNDS JUST LIKE HER!
What Has Karen Hester Been Up to Lately?
Before performing on The Tonight Show this week, Hester was recently in Las Vegas to perform as Parton as part of Legends in Concert at the Tropicana. She took the stage with several other tribute performers for the event. After that, she returned to her home of Myrtle Beach, where she works as a camp activities leader.
Hester reacted to her performance on Jimmy Fallon’s show by writing on Instagram, “What an incredible night we had last night!! … Dreams becoming reality! Keep believing in your dreams!”
The singer has been impersonating Dolly Parton for ten years now. You can keep up with what Hester is doing next by following the tribute star on Instagram.
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