Tributes have been pouring in ever since the announcement of Dolly Parton’s death. The country music icon influenced generations of singers, songwriters and performers, particularly women. From Shania Twain and Carrie Underwood to Taylor Swift, every woman artist owes an incredible debt to the path Parton paved in her life and career. There is no denying that she changed popular culture forever.
Parton also greatly influenced pop star Ariana Grande, who performed in London on August 27, 2026. The “Hate That I Made You Love Me” singer even stopped the show for an emotional send-off to the legendary performer.
Dolly Parton Video Tribute
Many tributes have been heartfelt notes on social media, including from Sandra Bullock, Hugh Jackman and Taylor Swift. But sometimes, it’s best to let the music speak for itself. Grande’s video tribute to Parton featured the icon performing I Will Always Love You, later turned into a monster pop hit by Whitney Houston.
The sentimental ballad includes the gut-wrenching line: “So I’ll go, but I know I’ll think of you every step of the way.” Fans screamed and applauded; the respect and admiration were palpable.
Dolly Parton wrote I Will Always Love You in a single sitting after telling Porter Wagoner that it was long overdue that she move on. That emotion seeps out of the record, and Parton delivers one of her best vocal performances. It defines her generation, along with other such hits as Jolene, 9 to 5 and Coat of Many Colors.
Dolly’s Influence on Ariana Grande
When you listen to Ariana Grande songs like Tattooed Heart and Imagine, you can hear traces of Dolly Parton through Grande’s inflection and timbre. While the pair never collaborated for a duet, they did cross paths. Promoting the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, both performers starred, along with John Legend, in a promo ad for the event.
Otherwise, they did sometimes tumble into each other’s orbit, such as being featured on Kristen Chenowith’s 2019 album, For the Girls. Grande teamed up with the Broadway star on a reimagined version of Lesley Gore’s You Don’t Own Me, while Parton joined Chenowith for a fresh take on I Will Always Love You.
Among the most powerful Parton tributes comes from Miley Cyrus, who took to Instagram and penned an emotional letter to her “Aunt Dolly.” She wrote, “Our most sacred moments were private, and they’ll stay there behind the stage, beneath the glamour & between our hearts. What I KNOW is Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it, and then continue on and be strong. I have an angel by my side. I always have. One of our last conversations was about music and metamorphosis.”
She added, “I will always love her and want to make her proud. My heart breaks for the world, her family, and friends who will miss her deeply. We’re in this loss together, and we will see her in all of the most beautiful things.”
