Country singer Lainey Wilson was among the artists who took the stage for “CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton,” a two-hour special that aired live on Wednesday, October 21, celebrating the country music legend’s life, career, and enduring legacy.
Wilson performed a show-stopping rendition of Parton’s “Train, Train” from her 1999 “The Grass is Blue” album. She later teamed up with Lukas Nelson to sing “You Can’t Make Old Friends,” a heartfelt performance that served as a fitting tribute for the legendary country icon.
Fans may not know that Wilson and Parton developed a sweet friendship before her passing in August. On the red carpet that night, the “Heart Like a Truck” songstress shared her favorite memory of Parton, which was a phone call she’ll never forget.
Lainey Wilson Shares Her Favorite Dolly Parton Moment During ‘CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton’
Before taking the stage to celebrate the life and legacy of the late Dolly Parton, Lainey Wilson stopped on the red carpet to share a heartfelt memory of the country music legend that she continues to hold close to her heart.
When asked to name her favorite Parton moment, Wilson said that it was a phone call she had with the late icon just two weeks before her death. “Probably has to be the last moment I had with Dolly, she called me about two weeks before she passed away. I was actually reading the Bible and I was on the Book of Revelation, and I see Dolly Parton’s calling me. She was like, ‘What are you doing?’ And I was like, ‘I’m reading the Book of Revelation for the first time and she said, ‘You need to get out of that.’ She said, ‘You need to be reading the Book os Pslams, make you feel a little bit better.’ She said, ‘I know where I’m going,'” Wilson recalled.
Wilson went on to highlight Parton’s gift for making people feel good and bringing laughter to those arund her.
“She knew how to make me laugh. She knew how to just make me feel seen and she was my friend. And I still feel like she’s with us,” she added.
Wilson & Parton Recorded a Song Together Before Her Passing
Wilson and Parton’s friendship goes way beyond just phone calls, with the two even recording a duet together in 2023. According to Country Now, Wilson and Parton joined forces to pay tribute to The Judds (the music duo composed of Wynonna Judd and her mother Naomi Judd) with a rendition of “Mama He’s Crazy,” the song is also featured on the “A Tribute To The Judds” album.
Wilson had never met Parton when she was asked to sing a rendition of the song, and the two country singers would also not get the chance to record the tune together because of scheduling conflicts. However, Wilson finally got the chance to meet Parton for the first time at the 2023 ACM Awards.
“So at the ACMs this year when she announced a Female Artist of the Year, that was the very first time that we had actually met, but we had already recorded the song. But when I was up there as we were walking off the stage, she grabbed my arm, she said, ‘Lainey, I love our song We did together.’ And that right there, that was one of the most memorable moments I will ever have,” Wilson shared.
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Lainey Wilson Reveals Her Favorite Dolly Parton Memory Was a Phone Call Just Two Weeks Before Her Passing