Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks.Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty
Dolly Partonpaid tribute to her friends and fellow country starsLoretta LynnandNaomi Juddwith an emotional a cappella performance at the2023 ACM Awards.
The country star, who hosted the show alongsideGarth Brooks, sang the hymn “Precious Memories” in honor of the late musicians, who both died in 2022.
Of Lynn, Parton, 77, called her “a hero and one of the most important, but still down-to-earth singer-songwriters in history.”
“And of course Naomi and I, well, we’re the same age, both real G.O.A.Ts, Capricorns, and we loved big hair,” she said. “I still do. And we loved that makeup. But above all else, we loved each other.”
Brooks then told Parton that her remembrance was “beautifully said.”
“Tonight we lovingly remember all those we’ve lost in our country music family,” he said. “And we promise to do our best to keep the circle forever unbroken in their memory.”
Added Parton: “I agree with that.”
Parton performed again during the show with a show-stopping final number that marked the live debut of her new single “World on Fire, which will appear on herupcoming rock albumRockstar.
Check out PEOPLE’s full ACM Awards coverage to get the latest news on country’s big night.
Garth Brooks and Dolly Parton.Rich Polk/Penske Media via Getty
She also kicked off the show earlier in the night with aNSFW jokeabout Brooks and his wife,Trisha Yearwood.
After Parton brought a goat out on stage to poke fun at the popular acronym meaning “greatest of all time,” she later gave it a new meaning after Brooks revealed that Parton was his “hall pass” — and that of Yearwood.
“I just had a thought. I know why you’re doing that G.O.A.T. thing!” Parton quipped. “I think it stands for ‘Garth organized a threesome!'”
“And I thought I couldn’t love you anymore!” a modest Brooks responded.
The 58th Academy of Country Music Awards are airing live from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas Thursday, May 11 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and stream live exclusively on Prime Video.
source: people.com
