Country music icon Dolly Parton was honored by the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, on Saturday night with a star-studded tribute concert following her death at the age of 80.
The acclaimed singer and Tennessee native died on Tuesday after a brief and secret battle with cancer. Her nephew and head of security, Bryan Seaver, confirmed her death in a video posted to the social media platform Instagram.
Parton was admitted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville on August 21 with autoimmune and kidney problems, according to the entertainment news website TMZ. The medical center is a major research hospital in the capital of Tennessee, the city that serves as the commercial center of the American country music industry.
The Grand Ole Opry, a weekly country music stage concert founded in 1925, dedicated its Saturday performance to celebrating Parton. The live music institution is known for showcasing a mix of famous singers and contemporary chart-topping artists. Tickets for the Saturday evening event were sold out.
Before the event began, the venue posted a message on social media announcing the dedication. "This Saturday night, we honor a true icon," the statement read. "Saturday evening’s Grand Ole Opry will be dedicated to Dolly Parton, recognizing her extraordinary life, legacy, and contributions to country music."
The venue also announced that a portion of the ticket sales from the evening would be donated to the Imagination Library. The Opry stated the donation was made "in honor of Dolly’s incredible spirit of giving."
The Imagination Library is a book gifting program launched by Parton in 1995. The charity mails free books to children from birth until they begin school, aiming to improve childhood literacy.
Performances and tributes
The concert featured a musical lineup that was booked before the death of the singer. Performers taking the stage included Carly Pearce, Jelly Roll, Molly Tuttle, Dan Tyminski, Belle Frantz, Channing Wilson, Kathy Mattea and T. Graham Brown.
Pearce has a unique connection to Parton. Her career in the entertainment industry began with performances at Dollywood, a popular theme park jointly owned by Parton in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
In 2021, Parton personally invited Pearce to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Membership in the Opry is considered one of the highest achievements in country music and is traditionally offered by an existing member.
During the Saturday tribute, Pearce sang "Those Memories of You." The 1987 track was recorded by Parton in a collaborative country music album with fellow singers Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt.
Pearce returned to the stage multiple times throughout the evening. According to various accounts of the event, she later encouraged the audience to sing along to "9 to 5", a major hit song released by Parton in 1980.
As the crowd sang the chorus of the song, the musician Jelly Roll emerged onto the stage to join the performance. The song "9 to 5" originally served as the title track to the comedy film of the same name starring Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.
Remembering a legend
Jelly Roll had previously paid tribute to Parton on Tuesday while acting as a guest host on the late night television talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live."
"We lost a legend today, the great Dolly Parton," he told the television audience during the broadcast. "She was such an inspiration to so many, myself included. We're both from Tennessee and she meant a lot to my family."
At the Opry on Saturday, senior vice president Dan Rogers addressed the crowd. According to an account from the USA Today newspaper, Rogers described Parton as "the most beloved human being in the world."
Rogers listed the impressive career accomplishments of the late singer before shifting his focus to her philanthropy. "That's not what any of us think of first when we think of Dolly," he said.
"We think of the children she gifted books, or the people who were inspired to follow a bold dream," Rogers told the audience.
Fans attending the sold out event paid their own respects at the Nashville venue. USA Today reported that women arrived wearing gowns, while other attendees carried flowers.
The venue set up a letter writing station in the lobby where fans could write down their thoughts and emotions. A mural of Parton was also displayed on the second floor of the building, the newspaper detailed.
The tribute concert also featured a performance by Jada Star, Parton's niece. Star performed her original song "The Orchard."
The track was featured on "Smoky Mountain DNA: Family, Faith and Fables." The record was a collaborative album released by the Parton family in 2024.
Opry history and final moments
Throughout the Saturday event, videos chronicling the decades of history Parton shared with the Opry were reportedly streamed on screens between the live musical performances.
The concert performances concluded with all of the entertainers from the evening gathering together on the stage.
The performers watched as a video played of Parton singing her famous ballad "I Will Always Love You." The footage was taken from her 50th Opry anniversary performance in October 2019.
"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," Parton said in the clip, which was projected onto a screen. "So thank you so much, and I will always love you."
The song "I Will Always Love You" was written by Parton in 1973 and went on to become one of the best selling singles in music history.
The Opry had published a statement on the social media platform Instagram on Tuesday as news of Parton's death began to spread.
"It is with the heaviest of hearts that we say goodbye to a true country music icon, Opry member Dolly Parton," the organization wrote in the post.
"There is no doubt Dolly’s mark on the world, and on us here at the Grand Ole Opry, will be deeply felt for generations to come. She taught us to always lead with kindness, generosity, and compassion."
The statement continued: "May her legacy live on through her songs, the lives she touched, and the countless artists she inspired. There will never, ever be another one like her. We will always love you, Dolly."
Just four days before her death, Parton spoke with People magazine about her plans for the future. The singer told the publication she had "so many things I want to achieve," including launching a new hotel and museum in Nashville.
