Dolly Parton got the final word at her emotional Opry tribute - USA Today

The Grand Ole Opry held an official tribute to Dolly Parton on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, days after the country icon died on Aug. 25 at age 80 following an undisclosed battle with cancer.
Carly Pearce and Jelly Roll capped the sold-out night with heartfelt covers and an arm-in-arm finale, while Opry senior vice president Dan Rogers called Parton "the most beloved human being in the world."
Fans lined up outside amid flower beds filled with butterflies, Parton's longtime symbol, many arriving in gowns, Dolly T-shirts, cowboy hats and boots, with a letter-writing station and a large mural set up inside.
Pearce, marking five years of Opry membership, opened the show with "Those Memories of You," a song Parton recorded with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt, telling the crowd, "Dolly, we love you."
Rogers' dedication highlighted Parton's charitable spirit and talent, noting fans think first of the children she gifted books and the people she inspired rather than her career accomplishments.
The lineup, booked before Parton's death, included Molly Tuttle, Dan Tyminski, Channing Wilson, Kathy Mattea, T. Graham Brown and Opry debutante Belle Frantz, with the mood remaining light and joyful throughout.