Vince Gill Fights Back Tears During Emotional Dolly Parton Tribute — Singing the Song That Created One of His Most Treasured Memories With Her

 

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Vince Gill struggled to contain his emotions as he honored his longtime friend and collaborator Dolly Parton just two days after her death, turning one of their most memorable songs into a deeply personal farewell.

Performing at the Midland Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri, on Thursday, Aug. 27, the 69-year-old country star told the audience that he and his family had been “crushed” by the news of Parton’s death at 80.

Gill then chose a song carrying decades of memories between them: “I Will Always Love You.”

As he worked his way through Parton’s classic, emotion repeatedly appeared to catch up with him. Fan-recorded footage showed Gill becoming choked up during the performance before the audience responded with cheers as he reached the end.

For Gill, the song was far more than an obvious choice for a tribute. He and Parton had recorded it together more than 30 years earlier, creating a musical moment he still regarded as one of the most beautiful of his career.

Vince Gill said his family was ‘crushed’

Parton died on Aug. 25 at age 80 following what her representatives described as a “brief battle with cancer.” The specific type of cancer was not disclosed.

Her nephew Bryan Seaver announced her death in a video posted to Parton’s Instagram account.

The news prompted an enormous outpouring from musicians who had worked with, admired or been influenced by the country legend.

Gill was among them.

Before his Kansas City tribute, the singer had already shared his grief on Instagram alongside footage of himself and Parton performing “I Will Always Love You” at the 1995 CMA Awards.

“We are all crushed here at our house,” wrote Gill, who is married to singer-songwriter Amy Grant.

He then recalled one particular memory from that performance.

“One of the most beautiful sounds I’ve ever heard was when Dolly and I sang that last note of ‘I Will Always Love You’ the year we performed it on the CMA Awards.”

‘I Will Always Love You’ connected Gill and Parton for decades

Parton wrote and originally recorded “I Will Always Love You,” and the song later became a worldwide phenomenon through Whitney Houston’s recording.

But Gill also has his own history with the composition.

His duet version with Parton charted in 1995, and their CMA Awards performance that year became a memory he continued to treasure decades later.

That history gave Thursday’s performance an entirely different emotional weight.

This time, Parton wasn’t beside him.

As Gill sang the familiar lyrics alone, the performance became both a tribute to his friend and a reminder of the musical connection they once shared onstage.

His visible emotion was met with encouragement from the Kansas City crowd, which cheered as he finished.

Country stars are turning their concerts into tributes to Dolly

Gill is far from the only performer who has used the stage to remember Parton in the days following her death.

On Friday, Aug. 28, Kacey Musgraves honored Parton during her concert at Boston’s TD Garden.

Musgraves performed Parton’s “Here You Come Again,” but first dedicated her own song “Rainbow” to the 9 to 5 star.

The tribute added Musgraves to a growing list of musicians incorporating Parton’s music into their concerts as fans and fellow artists continue processing the loss.

John Mayer chose Dolly’s signature ballad over ‘Jolene’

John Mayer also turned to “I Will Always Love You” for his own tribute.

During a private SiriusXM performance at Stephen Talkhouse in the Hamptons on Wednesday, Aug. 26, members of the audience reportedly shouted requests for “Jolene.”

Mayer chose another path.

Instead, he performed “I Will Always Love You,” delivering the song through guitar before moving into “Gravity” for the closing encore.

Like Gill’s performance, Mayer’s choice demonstrated how closely the ballad has become associated with moments of farewell.

Brad Paisley became emotional remembering their duet

Perhaps one of the most poignant tributes came from Brad Paisley, whose connection to Parton was tied to another song about loss.

Paisley honored her during his Aug. 27 concert at the Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he performed “When I Get Where I’m Going.”

Parton had joined Paisley on the 2005 recording.

While explaining how their collaboration happened, Paisley recalled sending the song to Parton and telling her it had been inspired by people he had lost.

“When I recorded that song and sent it to Dolly, I said, ‘A couple of people in my life I’ve lost, and I didn’t know if this would relate to you.’”

According to Paisley, Parton immediately wanted to participate.

“And she immediately said, ‘Yes, let me sing on that,’ and did.”

Then the meaning of the song suddenly became painfully different.

Paisley became visibly emotional as the audience cheered him on.

“I never thought it would be about her, but it is,” he said.

“It’s everything she believed, and we will always love you, Dolly.”

Reba McEntire remembers her ‘buddy Dolly’

Away from the concert stage, tributes have continued pouring in from across country music.

Reba McEntire, one of Parton’s longtime friends, shared photographs of the pair together over the years and reflected on the news that her “buddy Dolly passed onto the higher and greater side.”

McEntire thanked Parton for everything she had given throughout her life.

“Dolly, thank you for all the wonderful things you did for us here on earth,” she wrote in part. “Your love, your music and you gave so much with your huge huge heart.”

She ended with a simple declaration of Parton’s singular place in country music.

“There will never ever be another you.”

Gill’s tribute carried a particularly personal meaning

For Vince Gill, however, Thursday night brought the grief directly onto the stage.

“I Will Always Love You” already belonged to Parton’s extraordinary musical legacy, but Gill had his own memories attached to it — especially that final note they once sang together at the CMA Awards.

Three decades later, he found himself performing the song without her.

His voice carried him through the tribute even as his emotions threatened to interrupt it, and the audience responded by supporting him through the difficult moments.

Parton’s death has already inspired countless public messages from artists who loved and admired her.

Gill’s farewell was different because the song itself carried part of their shared history.

In 1995, they stood together and sang its final note.

More than 30 years later, Gill had to finish it alone.