The Grand Ole Opry held a sold-out tribute to Dolly Parton on Saturday, August 29. The event was attended by country music singer Carly Pearce and former “American Idol” Artist in Residence and country star Jelly Roll, who sang “9 to 5” onstage, but there was also an extra special appearance by one of Parton’s family members.
Grand Ole Opry Honors Dolly Parton
Jada Star, who, like her aunt, is a singer, was invited to perform at the Grand Ole Opry after Parton’s death on August 25 at age 80. Star performed “The Orchard” from the 2024 Parton family album, “Smoky Mountain DNA: Family, Faith and Fables.”
Star told fans the family had seen their tributes and expressed gratitude. “We couldn’t share Dolly with you any more than you could share the moon or sun with someone,” she said, The Tennessean reports.
Jada Star Honors Dolly Parton at the Grand Ole Opry
Star told fans about her performance in an Instagram post on Saturday, August 29. “I have been asked to sing my song ‘The Orchard’ tonight as part of the @opry ’s tribute to my incredible aunt, @dollyparton,” she captioned the post.
She continued, “I am walking around in a fog if sadness, like all of you have. I do not take this honor lightly. I will stand on that stage tonight, the stage she loved so much, and share my song I wrote for her and for my whole family. Know that we appreciate every single tribute, message, and kind word you have all shared the past few days. We appreciate all of you. Please tune in to see some beautiful tributes and performers.”
Fans showed their support for Star, praising her performance and believing she will be the family member to carry on Parton’s legacy. “She has now passed the torch, and tonight you will carry it onto that stage with all of the talent, grace and love she always did,” a fan wrote. “We couldn’t be more proud for you. Break all the hearts and legs.”
“Jada! This is absolutely incredible. What an honor. So proud of you and I know she is too,” another person wrote.
Other reactions include, “You’ll shine bright tonight! I’ll be watching the streaming,” “You got this girlie. It’s gonna be beautiful and amazing,” and “My favorite song! This will be a beautiful tribute, sending you all of my love.”
Heidi Parton Sings Dolly Parton’s Song in Emotional Tribute
Star is not the only family member to pay tribute to Parton, and on Saturday, August 29, Heidi Parton, the daughter of Dolly’s younger brother, Randy Parton, honored her with a rendition of her song, “Burning.” Heidi shared the song on Instagram, and sang alongside Jeremy Reasoner.
Before she started singing, Heidi said the video was a “little bit of tribute” to her beloved aunt. They started with verse 3, singing, “Burning to know you, Burning to show you. And I’ve felt this way from the start. Burning with passion, I do hope it’s lasting. And it’s burning a hole in my heart”
In the caption, Heidi shared her thoughts, writing, “I wanted to sing one of my favorite Dolly Parton songs with my favorite duet partner the talented Jeremy Reasoner for you all. Love you all so much! #Burning.”
Social media has been flooded with tributes for Dolly. Fans have also visited murals, monuments, and sights of interest to pay their respects to the late country music legend. She touched so many lives, not just with her music but also with her kindness.
