Sabrina Carpenter, Julia Roberts and Oprah were among the stars who paid tribute to Dolly Parton during the Country Music Association’s celebration of the late country icon Wednesday night.
Oprah, who appeared in a pre-recorded video at the beginning of the broadcast, shared what Dolly meant to her. “We’re both Tennessee girls, and she represented to me the essence of being 100% who you see yourself to be. Authentic all the time, and I just loved her for it,” she said. “I love that she had such grace and such tenacity. I mean, listen, if she put her mind to something, that was it. And I love that she was so generous of heart and generous of spirit, and her presence here on Earth will be felt for forever because the spirit that is so strong that was hers is actually everlasting.”
Roberts, who starred alongside Parton in 1989’s “Steel Magnolias,” reflected on the experience of filming with the performer. “Dolly came into my life when I was in my early 20s, and it was magical to see someone so alive, so present,” the actress shared in a pre-recorded video. “She really was a shining example of remembering who you are, where you came from, and what it means to be kind. We love her.”
Katy Perry took the stage to remember Parton as a woman who “masterfully toyed with the power of her femininity.” “Devastatingly sharp and equally as sweet, she could read you for filth with a wink and a smile, and then make sure that your children learn to read too. That’s a mother,” she continued. “Beneath the decades of dazzle was an extraordinary generosity of spirit. Some called her the Great Unifier because she had this ability to bring people together from all walks of life, political perspectives and sexual orientations. She saw beyond those labels because she saw the humanity in everyone. For me, Dolly is the blueprint.”
Carpenter, who, before Parton’s passing, had collaborated with her on a remix of “Please Please Please,” said that the “I Will Always Love You” singer “meant lightness” as she began her recorded tribute. “She meant kindness, joy, quick comebacks, rhinestones, big hair, family, radiance, and love. I think Dolly was one of the only people on planet Earth that everyone could universally agree on, which I think is very special in any artist. But there’s nobody like Dolly.”
Carol Burnett, who first met Parton while filming the 1979 CBS television variety special “Dolly & Carol in Nashville,” recalled an early memory of the star while on set. “When I talk about thoughtful, I remember there was one night I was in my hotel room getting ready to go out to dinner to a restaurant, and there was a knock at the door, and I opened it, and there was Dolly with a home-cooked meal for me, so that I wouldn’t have to go out to a restaurant, and to top it off, that home-cooked meal was home-cooked by Dolly herself.”
Bono, Goldie Hawn and other stars also paid tribute to Parton during the show.
The special was a “joyful, emotional celebration of the artist, songwriter, entertainer, humanitarian and entrepreneur whose music and generosity carried her from the mountains of East Tennessee into the hearts of generations around the world, told through performances, archival footage and personal stories that trace her extraordinary journey to becoming one of the most beloved entertainers and philanthropists in American history,” per the evening’s official logline.
The singer-songwriter-actress died in August at the age of 80 following a “brief battle” with cancer.
Over the course of the evening, more than 20 performers took the stage, including Ella Langley, Lainey Wilson, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Vince Gill, Kristen Bell, Molly Tuttle and Carly Pearce, as well as Kelsea Ballerini, Brad Paisley, Zac Brown, Ashley McBryde, Bela Fleck, Kristin Chenoweth, Lady A, Ricky Skaggs, Sierra Hull, Little Big Town, Lukas Nelson and Darius Rucker.
The special aired live on ABC and Disney+ on Wednesday and will stream on Hulu the following day.