AT FORUM : A DOWN-HOME DELIGHT FROM KENNY & DOLLY

The idea of seeing Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton at the Inglewood Forum might not seem like the most exciting way to spend New Year’s Eve.

For one thing, it’s hard to imagine establishing in a site as vast as the Forum the intimacy that is conducive to a genuine party atmosphere.

Also, Rogers is a low-key performer who specializes in ballads, and New Year’s Eve is supposed to be a high-energy night. Finally, Kenny & Dolly’s big duet, “Islands in the Stream,” was so sluggish that you could be forgiven for being a little wary of them getting back together.

So the show was pretty dull, right?

Wrong. The concert was a success on all counts.

By situating the stage in the middle of the Forum, the promoters were able to compensate for the arena’s cavernous nature. Rogers also displayed more of an edge in his performance and tucked several of his ballads into a medley to make more time for uptempo songs. Somehow, even “Islands” sounded brighter than on record.

But the main reason the show was a success can be summed up in two words: Dolly Parton.

While Rogers was highly effective, Parton was nothing short of masterful. Her set was a textbook case of balancing artistry and personality. She was loose, casual and spontaneous without ever compromising the integrity of her music.

Parton’s integrity was suggested by her song selection. Rather than perform a lot of the glitzy pop or covers of well-known tunes that have characterized her recent albums, she continued to focus on graceful, gentle ballads about her upbringing in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.

These songs--including “Coat of Many Colors,” “Me and Little Andy” and “Apple Jack”--have formed the core of Parton’s repertoire since the mid-’70s, long before she began eyeing the pop market. The fact that she even spotlighted them in a New Year’s Eve show signifies that she’s still being true to her roots.

Don’t get the idea, however, that Parton’s memories kept her set from being a party. Her personality is so bright and sparkling that it easily offset the hard-times themes of many of her songs.

It was significant that someone with as flamboyant a public persona as Parton never lapsed into caricature or seemed mannered. That suggested that the personality is genuine. Indeed, it is that guileless sincerity that makes Parton so special.

She seems, above all, a thoughtful, gracious, kind performer. And she’s disarmingly down to earth. Near the end of her performance, Parton noted: “If you enjoyed the show, tell your friends. If you didn’t, keep your big mouth shut.”

The only lapse in Parton’s show came during a somewhat perfunctory reading of “Great Balls of Fire,” the Jerry Lee Lewis classic that she recorded several years ago. The song didn’t fit the fabric of the show, nor did she attempt to explain what it meant to her.

Parton was so good as the opening act that she gave Rogers a shot in the arm. Perhaps sensing the challenge, he displayed more of an edge in his headlining set than he has in past local appearances.

Rogers’ off-handed casualness is one of his most endearing traits. But he sometimes takes this laid-back approach too far, tending to walk through a show. At the Forum he performed with much more commitment.

Rogers’ speciality continues to be story songs, ranging from the tense drama of “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” to the heartfelt emotionalism of “She Believes in Me.” Despite the differences in the songs’ themes and moods, they have several things in common: vivid story lines, poignant melodies and Rogers’ understated vocals.

Indeed, Rogers’ ability to undersell a lyric may be his best quality as a singer. In other hands, “She Believes in Me” could seem mawkish or maudlin, but Rogers makes it a gripping tale of love and loyalty.

Rogers’ show was also enhanced by his dry wit and self-effacing personality, and by the solid support he received from his seven-member, Nashville-based band, Bloodline.

But Rogers has a pronounced weakness for bland, sing-song material like “Coward of the County.” And he has allowed the trembling vocal quiver he used with great effect on “Lady” to become a mannerism.

Parton joined Rogers at the end of his set to perform three duets, including a compelling “We’ve Got Tonite” and a jaunty “Real Love,” which will be featured on Parton’s next album.

The show was opened by KIIS-FM personality Rick Dees and his wife, comic impressionist Julie Dees. The highlight of Rick Dees’ set was “Eat My Shorts,” a biting parody of sentimental ballads like Rogers’ “Through the Years.”