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Dolly Parton shared a heartfelt statement in response to the tribute in her honor at the Opry 100: A Live Celebration at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.
Lady A, Reba McEntire and Carrie Underwood delivered a powerful rendition of Parton’s iconic ballad, “I Will Always Love You,” to close out the show. The star-studded event, hosted by Blake Shelton, celebrated the Grand Ole Opry’s milestone centennial year. The performance arrived just a few weeks after Parton lost her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean. He was 82.
“I have not stopped crying over the beautiful tribute of ‘I Will Always Love You’ on the 100th Anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry show,” Parton said in a statement shared on her Instagram story on Friday (March 21). “All those beautiful voices singing my song as a tribute to my husband Carl… the emotion was beyond words. I have cried enough to wash a great deal of the pain away so thanks to all of you beautiful people that helped make that possible. I also will always love you.”
Parton met Dean outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat on her first day living in Nashville, where the East Tennessee-born legend moved to pursue her career in music. They got married in Georgia on May 30, 1966. Parton said she “fell in love with Carl Dean when I was 18 years old,” as she debuted a heartfelt ballad in his honor, “If You Hadn’t Been There.” “Like all great love stories, they never end. They live on in memory and song. He will always be the star of my life story, and I dedicate this song to him.”