The late Bill Rehrig once told me the most interesting Dolly Parton story.

It’s the time Dolly came to Lehighton and went grocery shopping.

Dolly Parton, one of the most recognized and beloved members of the country music fraternity, died Tuesday at the age of 80.

Rehrig, a 1956 graduate of Lehighton High School who passed away in Tennessee in 2014 at the age of 75, was one of the first band members for the iconic performer when she opted for a solo career.

He worked with her in the 1970s for 2 1/2 years as lead guitarist and band manager. He also served as her fiddler and road manager.

Sometime during that span, Rehrig had said, Parton decided to get away on a short vacation. She came to Lake Harmony for a few days that included a weekend.

She needed groceries so Rehrig took her grocery shopping.

At that time, there was an A&P Supermarket in Lehighton, located on North First Street where the former Rite Aid was recently located.

I believe Rehrig said it was a Saturday or Sunday, about 11 p.m., when they came to the A&P. Rehrig said he and Dolly walked through the stores and many people turned their heads, but none questioned whether it really was her.

Dolly’s first venture into stardom was via the former Porter Wagoner Show, a weekly half-hour program airing each Saturday night. She joined Porter in 1967, and the duet had several major hits.

In 1974, she left the show to pursue a solo career.

At the time, Dolly was performing with family members.

According to a biography, her Uncle Louis ran her business affairs for a while but after Rehrig became her band leader, she asked him to assume some of those duties.

Initially 25 people had applied for a guitarist spot in her band, but Rehrig landed the job.

Eventually Parton disbanded the band but remained friends with Rehrig and his first wife Elaine. Elaine, who is also deceased, was the former Elaine Babinchak, a Bowmanstown native.

Rehrig’s second wife, Holly Holm Rehrig, wrote on Facebook regarding Parton’s death:

“I was just told of Dolly’s passing. Hard to process. My husband was her band leader, lead guitarist, fiddler and tour manager and friend. When he died, she sent a lovely, standing flower arrangement. He brought Richard Denison as her lead singer way back in the ‘70s.

“He is still with her. He married her sister. This is so sad. She signed this picture, ‘I will always love you’.”