Photo: Getty Images
Over the weekend, many artists paid tribute to beloved legend Dolly Parton on stages across the country.
Parton “died peacefully today in Nashville, Tennessee. She was 80 years old,” stated an official announcement on Tuesday, August 25. Parton’s representatives later said in a statement to PEOPLE, “after bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones.”
Parton’s passing led to an outpouring of emotional tributes from her family members (including sisters Stella Parton and Freida Parton, goddaughter Miley Cyrus, niece Lainey Parton and more), the country music community and others around the globe.
“I want to acknowledge and pour my love out for, not just a huge influence to so many of us, but just one of the nicest people I think I’ve ever met,” Carrie Underwood said on stage over the weekend. “There is such a shock, I feel like, just to the whole world, like you could feel the ripples… But she’s just one that transcends all space and all time. And I feel like she is just out there with the brightest smile on her face up until the very last minute, and that’s something that I feel like we can all learn from. She is gone, but she’s not forgotten. I know where she is because I know how much she loved Jesus. …Would you just light this place up for Ms. Dolly? Get your phones out. Put your lights on. She is always with us.”
Tim McGraw honored Parton with a photo of the beloved legend on stage as the audience cheered. Others — including Ella Langley, Kacey Musgraves, Brandi Carlile and more — covered Parton’s classics during their shows. Lauren Alaina shared her rendition of Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.”
The Grand Ole Opry dedicated its show on Saturday (August 29) to Parton, “recognizing her extraordinary life, legacy, and contributions to country music.” A portion of the ticket sales supported Parton’s Imagination Library, which has gifted more than 330 million free books to children worldwide. Johnny Cash introduced Parton to the historic Opry stage when she made her debut in 1959. She was 13. Parton was inducted into the Opry in 1969.
The “I Will Always Love You” surprised country star and former Dollywood performer Carly Pearce with her invitation to become an Opry member in 2021. Pearce took part in the Opry lineup on Saturday, along with surprise guest Jelly Roll, Kathy Mattea, Molly Tuttle, Ketch Secor, Channing Wilson, T. Graham Brown, Dan Tyminski, Belle Frantz, Jada Star (Parton’s niece), and the Opry Square Dancers. The full lineup gathered on stage at the end of the show to perform “9 to 5.” Parton herself posthumously concluded the show as a screen behind the performers played a clip of her singing “I Will Always Love You.”
Scroll below to see the tributes to Parton that took place over the weekend.