RAMA, Ont. - Dolly Parton lived up to the title of her latest album, Backwoods Barbie, as she kicked off the Canadian leg of her latest tour with the first of two sold out shows on Sunday night at Casino Rama.

Dressed up like a technicolor candy cane in a striking pink sequined outfit and matching high heels, the 62-year-old country music star joked about her famous clothes, big blonde hair, long nails and other well known physical attributes.

"Don't you love this Casino Rama - it's a beautiful place," chirped Parton as she appeared on stage after a brief musical introduction from her 11-piece band.

"Don't everyone come here to get rich? I know I did and thanks to you I did. It costs a lot of money to look this cheap."

It wasn't the first time Parton has uttered that one-liner and it won't be the last.

But somehow in her own endearing way, the veteran entertainer sold the line and others with both funny and heartfelt stage banter, including a question and answer period, that was as plentiful as the performance of her songs, which stretched back over 40 plus years.

In addition to her own hits like Jolene, Coat Of Many Colors, Here You Come Again, Islands In The Stream, 9 To 5, and I Will Always Love You, she covered John Denver's Thank God I'm A Country Boy changing it to Thank God I'm A Country Girl and bringing a young male dancer, who she nicknamed "Backwoods Ken," from her Dollywood Theme Park on stage to strut around, and Neil Diamond's Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show.

"He's a cute one - ain't he girls?" she said afterwards of Backwoods Ken. "He's a cute one - ain't he boys? I thought he's so good looking, he might as well come out here and give an old woman a thrill."

She also trotted out material from Backwoods Barbie - a song that she specifically wrote for the Broadway adaptation of her 1980 film, 9 to 5 (opening April 30) - like the title track, the Celtic-flavoured Only Dreamin', Better Get To Livin' and Shinola.

"You know you're a backwoods Barbie when a pink corvette is up on blocks in the front yard and your dream house is on wheels," joked Parton.

If there's any one criticism to be made it's that sometimes Parton is laying on the yucks so thick that her self-deprecating humor overshadows just how talented a singer, songwriter and musicians she really is.

Her voice remains in strong shape and her musicianship was demonstrated as she tackled banjo, dulcimer, flute and tambourine over the course of her hour-and-20-minute set.

She did mention being excited about the recent election of Barack Obama as the next U.S. president, although she said she got tired of the candidates fighting leading up to last Tuesday's vote.

"Poor little Palin," she said.

And when somebody suggested she run for office, she joked: "All we need is more boobs in the White House."

During the Q&A session, Parton - who has been singing since she was 10 years old before moving to Nashville from her family home in the Smoky Mountains in 1964 before her big break on Porter Wagoner's show in 1967 - said she has no plans to retire - ever.

"I'll be doing this til the day I die," she said. "I'd like to be on stage hopefully singing one of the songs I wrote and just keel over right there on stage, like one of those fainting goats."

As Parton and the nine male members of her band performed a stunning a capella version of Do I Ever Cross Your Mind, it's clear she's still got a long way to go before that's going to happen.

SET LIST:
Two Doors Down
Why'd You Come In Here
Jolene
Thank God I'm A Country Boy/Girl
Backwoods Barbie
Shattered Image
Coat Of Many Colors
Only Dreamin'
Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show
Better Get To Livin'
Shinola
Do I Ever Cross Your Mind
Here You Come Again
Islands In The Stream
9 To 5
I Will Always Love You