Grand Ole Opry tribute concert features Jelly Roll surprise appearance
Lainey Parton said her great-aunt Dolly Parton was laid to rest on Friday after a private family funeral in Nashville. The country music star, who died earlier in the week at age 80, was interred next to her late husband Carl Dean at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in the Tennessee city.
In a social media post on Saturday, Lainey Parton wrote that “it still doesn’t feel real that she’s gone. I’m going to miss her voice, her laugh, her hugs, and just knowing she was there.” She referred to Parton as “granny” and wrote that “because she couldn’t have kids of her own, she always made us feel like we were hers.”
Lainey Parton remembered Parton’s encouragement: “From the time I was little, my granny always had a way of making me feel like I was enough. She never made my dreams feel too big or made me feel like I couldn’t do something. She believed in me before I even knew how to believe in myself.” She also recalled Parton helping her through beauty school: “She didn’t just tell me to chase my dreams, she helped me get there.”
A Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum obituary said Parton’s life was defined by “her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family.” It called her legacy “one of love, kindness, and resilience” and said she had “inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place.” The family asked that donations be made in lieu of flowers to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, her long-running program to send free books to young children.
Amelia Young, a reporter for Nashville’s NewsChannel 5, posted photos of flowers and a book of condolence at the tomb, which features a brass plaque showing Parton and Dean’s names and engravings of their childhood homes.
On Saturday, Parton’s niece Jada Star performed at a tribute concert at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House, regarded as the home of country music. Star sang “The Orchard,” which she recorded with her aunt in 2024 on the album “Smoky Mountain DNA: Family, Faith and Fables.” Before the performance, she wrote that she was “walking around in a fog of sadness, like all of you have” and added: “I do not take this honor lightly.”
Country star Jelly Roll made a surprise appearance at the event’s finale — a group performance of Parton’s “9 to 5.” Other performers included Carly Pearce, a Grammy-winning singer who once performed at Parton’s Dollywood theme park.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has announced plans to name Nashville International Airport after Parton.
In the United Kingdom, Parton’s “9 to 5” was on course to be number one on the singles chart this week, the Official Chart Company said, after fans streamed the song heavily following her death. The company noted that streaming numbers had begun to decline and the song may not remain at number one when the final chart is announced on Friday.
Parton’s death at age 80 was first reported earlier this week: Dolly Parton dies at 80, remembered for Hurricane Helene relief giving.