LEAVE IT TO DIVA What do Cher and Dolly Parton, two of the most recognizable performers in the world—one for her outlandish outfits and the other for her, well, smile—have in common? Not much—on the surface, that is. Other than the obvious (they are both singers, actors, and blondes; yes, Cher is flaunting bleached locks these days), both women were born in 1946, grew up in disadvantaged households, and began their singing careers as teenagers. Both have loyal followings, even impersonators. And they are both performing in Texas this month. But don’t expect to see them onstage together; these artists couldn’t be more different in terms of musical style and stage presence. While Parton still fancies herself as the girl-next-door-made-good and is taking a laid-back approach to being on the road (a stop in Dallas—the only performance in Texas—on a short tour across the nation), Cher is going all out, sporting a Euro-disco leather ensemble on the cover of her new CD and embarking on a fifty-city tour—rumored to be her last—with stops in Austin, Dallas, and Houston. One thing’s for sure: These women are both living proof that superstardom doesn’t belong to just the teenybopper bunch. (See Austin: Music/Dance; Dallas: Music/Dance; and Houston: Music/Dance.)
