The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville held a special tribute concert on Saturday night to honor the late country music icon Dolly Parton. The event recognized Parton's extensive career and contributions to country music following her death on Tuesday after a brief, secret battle with cancer.
Ahead of the performance, the Opry announced on social media, "This Saturday night, we honor a true icon. Saturday evening’s Grand Ole Opry will be dedicated to Dolly Parton, recognizing her extraordinary life, legacy, and contributions to country music." A portion of the ticket sales from the evening was designated for Parton's literacy initiative, Imagination Library.
Performers at the tribute included Jelly Roll and Carly Pearce, the latter of whom has a notable connection to Parton, as her career was launched at Parton's theme park, Dollywood. Pearce, who was invited by Parton to become an Opry member in 2021, performed "Those Memories of You," a 1987 hit song Parton recorded with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt. The evening also featured artists such as Molly Tuttle, Dan Tyminski, Belle Frantz, Channing Wilson, Kathy Mattea, and T. Graham Brown. Parton's niece, Jada Star, performed an original song, "The Orchard," from the Parton family's 2024 album.
During the show, Pearce encouraged the audience to sing along to Parton's 1980 hit "9 to 5," with Jelly Roll joining her on stage for the chorus. Jelly Roll had previously paid tribute to Parton on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" on Tuesday, calling her a legend and an inspiration.
Videos showcasing Parton's decades-long history with the Grand Ole Opry were streamed between performances. The tribute concluded with all the evening's entertainers on stage watching a video of Parton singing "I Will Always Love You" from her 50th Opry anniversary performance in October 2019. In the clip, Parton expressed her gratitude, stating, "It's been a wonderful life for me and I appreciate all of you, and this song kind of sums up how I feel about you. So thank you so much, and I will always love you."
The Opry first announced its dedication to Parton on Instagram after news of her death, stating, "It is with the heaviest of hearts that we say goodbye to a true country music icon, Opry member Dolly Parton." The statement emphasized Parton's impact on the world and the Opry, noting her kindness, generosity, and compassion, and expressing hope that her legacy would endure.
Parton's death was confirmed by her nephew and head of security, Bryan Seaver, in an Instagram video. According to TMZ, she had been admitted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville on August 21 for autoimmune and kidney issues. Four days before her passing, Parton told People magazine that she had "so many things I want to achieve," including the launch of a new hotel and museum in Nashville.