Daniel Kreps
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Grand Ole Opry Chris Hollo / Hollo Photographics Inc. The Grand Ole Opry paid tribute to Dolly Parton on Saturday with an entire performance dedicated to the country legend and Opry member’s music following her death at the age of 80.
Carly Pearce — a one-time Dollywood performer who was welcomed into the Opry family in 2021 on Parton’s invitation — opened the tribute with a rendition of “Those Memories of You.” “It only feels right that I get to honor the queen tonight. Dolly, we love you,” Pearce said.
Other performances throughout the night included Kathy Mattea tackling “Jolene,” Ketch Secor and Molly Tuttle singing “Just Someone I Used To Know,” Channing Wilson performing “My Tennessee Mountain Home,” and Parton’s own niece Jada Star playing “The Orchard.”
The final performance of the night featured all the Opry musicians coming together onstage for a rendition of “9 to 5” that included a surprise cameo appearance by Jelly Roll.
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Throughout the evening, clips of Parton’s past Opry performances were shown on the video screen, culminating with all the artists involved coming together onstage to watch Dolly perform “I Will Always Love You.”
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Proceeds from the sold-out Opry performance Saturday were donated to Parton’s Imagination Library.
