As millions mourn the passing of music icon Dolly Parton, the Grand Ole Opry will dedicate its Saturday (Aug. 29) night show to honor the legend.
The evening’s performer lineup will include Grammy winner Carly Pearce, who launched her career at Dollywood, Parton’s theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Parton surprised Pearce with an invitation to become a Grand Ole Opry member in 2021.
Others on the Opry’s Saturday night lineup include Channing Wilson, Belle Frantz, Kathy Mattea, Molly Tuttle, Dan Tyminski, T. Graham Brown, and the Opry Square Dancers. The Saturday night Opry show will air on the Opry’s flagship station, WSM-AM and online at wsmonline.com, opry.com, and on SiriusXM channel 58.
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Parton died on Aug. 25 at Nashville’s Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, following a brief, private battle with cancer. The afternoon of Aug. 25, the Grand Ole Opry’s marquee also lit up with a message honoring the country music icon, and the marquee will show that message through the weekend.
Parton was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1969 and has been an Opry member for more than five decades. In January, Parton shared an excerpt from her book Star of the Show: My Life Onstage on Instagram, writing about being an Opry member.
“In January of 1969, I was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry,” she wrote. “I had always wanted to be a member. Back home and in country music, the epitome of success was to be on the Grand Ole Opry. To become a member was a big deal. I thought back to how I’d perform on my porch at my Tennessee mountain home, imagining that one day I was going to be on the Grand Ole Opry. By becoming an official member, I would forever be associated with the Opry. It was a dream come true. And it still is.”
“Every member of the Grand Ole Opry family has a Dolly story, as does everyone around the world who was ever in her orbit,” Dan Rogers, senior vp and exec. producer of the Grand Ole Opry, said in a statement. “That’s just one of the things that made her so special. For more than 50 years as an Opry member, she used her talent and success to bring sheer joy to millions. To every artist, she provided inspiration beyond measure. To every fan, she connected in a way that made each of us feel like the most important person in the room. Her impact will live on forever as we all carry forward the kindness, compassion and generosity she shared throughout her life. Dolly always knew exactly what to say. I’m afraid the best I have on this terribly sad day is a genuine, heartfelt, ‘Thank you for everything, Dolly. We sure do love you.’”
“Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched,” read a statement, which was signed from Team Dolly. “Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand. Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact. After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones.”