When Chris Stapleton planned to take the stage at Jones Beach, he had no idea it would be only a few days after the legendary Dolly Parton sadly passed away. After decades in the spotlight, not just fans, but the world mourned the death of Dolly. With countless tributes pouring in, it took only a matter of hours to see just how far Dolly’s love traveled. As the entire world came together to celebrate one of its brightest stars, Stapleton honored the hitmaker with a cover of “I Will Always Love You.”
Although a famous Whitney Houston song, “I Will Always Love You” was first written and recorded by Dolly. It wasn’t until years later that Houston added her own talents to the lyrics. But no matter the version, Stapleton had one goal when standing in front of thousands of fans. And that was to remember not just her voice, but the love Dolly spread.
Gaining over 34,000 likes, fans flooded the comments with praise for Stapleton’s emotional performance. For many, hearing his unmistakable voice carry Dolly’s famous words offered another reminder of just how deeply her music had woven itself into generations of country music.
Chris Stapleton Not The Only One Remembering Dolly Parton
While Stapleton and the world knew Dolly, her goddaughter, Miley Cyrus, had a deeper connection with the country icon. Posting a picture of Dolly, Cyrus explained how many of her cherished memories with her were behind closed doors. Not willing to share those memories at the moment, she offered a beautiful portrait of her godmother.
In the caption, Cyrus explained what Dolly would want her to do if she were here. “What I KNOW is Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it, and then continue on and be strong. I have an angel by my side. I always have. One of our last conversations was about music and metamorphosis.”
Not wanting to navigate a world without Dolly, Cyrus promised to always make her proud. “I will always love her and want to make her proud. My heart breaks for the world, her family and friends who will miss her deeply. We’re in this loss together and we will see her in all of the most beautiful things.”
For Stapleton, honoring Dolly meant standing onstage and singing the words she gave the world. For Cyrus, it meant carrying forward the lessons her godmother gave her. But no matter what, their tributes proved the massive impact the legendary singer had on those around her.
(Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
The post Chris Stapleton Singing This Dolly Parton Classic Is the Perfect Sendoff for a Difficult Goodbye appeared first on American Songwriter.
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