Dolly Parton was honored with a “very emotional” and “incredibly beautiful” Grand Ole Opry tribute show over the weekend.
An attendee exclusively told Page Six about Saturday night’s “completely sold-out show,” marveling that there was “not an empty seat” at Nashville’s famous Grand Ole Opry House.
“Her niece Jada Star made a surprise appearance to perform [‘The Orchard’] in honor of her late aunt,” the guest revealed, as Jelly Roll also surprised the crowd when he joined Carly Pearce for a rendition of Parton’s hit “9 to 5.”
Channing Wilson, Belle Frantz, Kathy Mattea, Molly Tuttle, Dan Tyminski and T. Graham Brown performed throughout the evening, too.
Toward the end of the show, a video of Parton singing “I Will Always Love you” from one of her Opry performances played, as “performers and backstage guests watched from on stage,” the attendee shared.
The guest also noted that upon entering the venue, ticket-holders were given pink notecards that read “We Will Always Love You” on which they were encouraged to “write one last letter to Dolly.”
The legendary country music artist, actress and cultural icon — who had been a member of the prestigious country music institution since January 1969 — died last Tuesday at age 80 following a “brief battle” with unspecified cancer.
About a dozen of her closest relatives gathered Friday for an ultra-private funeral and burial at the Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum.
Page Six obtained exclusive photos of emotional loved ones arriving dressed up with flowers in hand. Some were seen hugging, while a few appeared to cry.
A source told us “it was a very simple ceremony” because “that’s all Dolly wanted,” adding that her nephew and head of security, Bryan Seaver — who previously announced her death on behalf of the family — “was in charge of arrangements.”
It’s believed Parton was buried in a cotton dress and her signature stilettos.
“Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because, after a life wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest,” Seaver said in part when sharing the news of her passing.
The Grammy winner was laid to rest beside her beloved husband of nearly 59 years, Carl Dean, who died last March at age 82.
The bronze frontispiece of the couple’s tomb depicts a bucolic mountain scene from their native Tennessee and now displays Parton’s name.
Parton — who was also an entrepreneur and celebrated philanthropist — died at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center five days after reportedly being hospitalized with “kidney and autoimmune issues.”
She admitted in a recent interview that she had been “dealing with some health issues that [she] just didn’t pay attention to” while caring for Dean until his death.
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