English singer Harry Styles paid tribute to country music icon Dolly Parton at New York's Madison Square Garden following her death at age 80.
The singer paused his live performance on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, one day after news broke that Parton had passed away following a short battle with cancer. Speaking toward the end of the concert, which marked the first night of his tour at the famous Manhattan venue, Styles stopped the show to address the crowd.
According to video footage published by Variety, Styles told the audience that he wanted to properly thank all the musicians who had inspired him over the years, adding that they loved Parton and thanked her very much.
Following his statement, a recording of Parton's landmark song I Will Always Love You played through the Madison Square Garden sound system for about one minute. The track is widely recognized as one of Parton's most famous and successful compositions, having also achieved historic status through Whitney Houston's later performance of the song.
Tributes Across the Music World
The concert tribute in New York came amid a wave of international remembrances for the country music star. On Wednesday, August 26, 2026, Buckingham Palace in London paid homage to Parton during the changing of the guard, where the military band performed her classic hit 9 to 5.
Prominent figures across the entertainment industry also shared their personal memories of Parton following the announcement of her passing. Actor Kevin Costner expressed his gratitude to Parton for her generosity and for her work on I Will Always Love You, which featured prominently in his 1992 film The Bodyguard.
Pop singer Miley Cyrus published a moving farewell to Parton on August 26, 2026, describing her godmother as an angel who had always been by her side.
Onstage Performances and Personal Messages
Musicians also honored Parton through live performances and historical recollections. Singer Kesha took to the stage to perform Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You, a song written for Parton by Kesha's mother, Pebe Sebert.
In addition, coverage highlighted a letter Parton had previously written to rapper Eminem, in which the country legend described feeling an unexplained personal connection with him.
