Nashville came out in full force to honor Dolly Parton at the Opry 100 celebration.
NBC aired the live special on Wednesday, March 19. It featured a rousing performance of the Parton hit “I Will Always Love You” by Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Lady A and around 50 members of the Opry’s choir.
Earlier this month, Parton’s husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, died at the age of 82.
“Everybody here at the Opry and around the world wants to send you our thoughts and prayers,” McEntire, 69, said from the stage. “And you gotta know, we will always love you.”
In addition to the star-studded group tribute, Carly Pearce performed “Jolene” in homage to Parton, telling the crowd, “Dolly Parton is my hero, and it means so much to me that she invited me to join the Opry. Dolly, I just want you to know that my heart goes out to you and your family, and it is my great honor to sing my favorite Dolly song tonight.”
Meanwhile, Parton appeared in a taped message.
“Well hello, I am Dolly Parton and I am a proud member of the Grand Ole Opry,” she said. “And I am so sorry that I can’t be there with everybody in person, but of course you know my heart is with you and my spirit is with you.”
Us Weekly caught up with Pearce, 34, ahead of the event, where she exclusively recalled the day that Parton invited her to become an Opry member.
“That was probably the most surprised I’ve ever been in my life,” the country singer told Us. “When you think of the Opry and you think of invitations to be a member, they usually happen on stage at the Opry.”
On June 17, 2021, Pearce thought she was participating in a commercial for Dollywood after previously working at the theme park. When Parton walked around the corner and introduced herself, everything changed for Pearce.
“I was, of course, shocked, but I thought that we were doing this Dollywood commercial together,” she joked. “And I heard her say the word ‘Opry’ several times in 30 seconds. I can only equate it to how a girl feels when she thinks she’s getting engaged — of just like, ‘Can you just say it? Is this what’s happening?’”
“I had this moment of just, ‘Oh, my goodness,’” Pearce continued. “And when she said it, I just fell to the floor, literally.”
