In 1976, Dolly Parton stepped outside the country-music world that had made her famous and into something completely different. On The Dolly Show, she joined KC and the Sunshine Band for a lively performance of “That’s the Way (I Like It)”, bringing together two musical worlds that could hardly have seemed more different.
Dolly was already known for her unmistakable country voice, Appalachian roots, and emotional storytelling. KC and the Sunshine Band, meanwhile, were becoming one of the defining acts of the disco and funk era. Their music was energetic, rhythmic, and built to make people move.
And somehow, it worked.
Instead of treating the song as something outside her musical identity, Dolly embraced the fun of it. She stepped into the rhythm with the same confidence she brought to a country ballad, showing the playful side of a performer who was never afraid to surprise her audience.
The moment is especially interesting because it captures Dolly at a fascinating point in her career. She was becoming increasingly visible beyond the traditional country audience, while still firmly connected to the musical roots that had shaped her.
By appearing alongside KC and the Sunshine Band, Dolly demonstrated something that would become increasingly important throughout her career: she was never interested in being confined to one musical box.
She could sing country.
She could sing pop.
She could make people laugh.
She could tell a heartbreaking story.
And she could walk onto a television stage with a disco band and simply have fun.
“That’s the Way (I Like It)” had a completely different energy from the songs that had established Dolly as a country star. But that contrast is exactly what makes the performance so enjoyable today.
There is no sense that Dolly is trying to abandon country music. Instead, she is showing the audience another side of herself.
And that side was important.
Dolly’s career has always included an element of curiosity. She loved music in many forms and understood that great performers could learn from one another. Her willingness to experiment helped her reach audiences far beyond the country charts while keeping her own unmistakable identity intact.
Watching the performance decades later also provides a fascinating glimpse into the musical landscape of the 1970s. Country, pop, soul, funk, and disco were all finding new ways to overlap. Television variety shows became places where artists from completely different worlds could meet for a few minutes and create something unexpected.
Dolly understood how to make those moments work.
She did not have to become a disco singer.
She simply had to enjoy the song.
And that is what makes this performance so memorable.
It shows Dolly Parton not as the carefully preserved country icon we know today, but as a young superstar in 1976—curious, playful, confident, and completely willing to surprise the audience.
Country met disco. Dolly met KC and the Sunshine Band. And for a few unforgettable minutes, the only thing that mattered was having fun.