Harry Styles opened his 30-concert residency at New York City’s Madison Square Garden with a heartfelt tribute to Dolly Parton, who died just one day earlier at the age of 80.
During the opening night of his “Together Together” tour on Aug. 26, the “Watermelon Sugar” singer paused the show to acknowledge the country music legend and the enormous influence she had on generations of musicians.
“I just want to say a proper thank you to all the musicians over the years who have inspired me. Dolly, we love you. Thank you so much,” Styles told the crowd, according to Variety.
The audience responded with a huge roar.
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Dolly’s voice fills Madison Square Garden
After Styles’ tribute, Parton’s beloved song “I Will Always Love You” began playing throughout the arena.
Fans raised the lights on their phones as the song played, turning Madison Square Garden into an impromptu memorial for the late singer.
Styles remained on stage as Parton’s vocals filled the venue. He did not appear to sing along, instead encouraging the audience to join in and allowing the moment to focus entirely on Parton.
The tribute came just 24 hours after the singer’s death was announced.
Parton died on Aug. 25 following a brief period with cancer, according to her representatives. Her death prompted an immediate outpouring of tributes from musicians and fans around the world.
Taylor Swift: ‘A world without Dolly doesn’t feel possible’
Among those mourning Parton was Taylor Swift, who reflected on the singer’s influence and the lasting impact of her career.
“A world without Dolly doesn’t feel possible, real, or right,” Swift wrote in a statement.
She went on to praise Parton’s generosity and the countless people whose lives she had changed throughout her career, saying her legacy would endure.
The tribute from Styles similarly recognised Parton not only as a country superstar, but as one of the musicians whose work inspired artists who followed her.
Eminem shares Dolly Parton’s personal letter
Eminem also remembered Parton by sharing a letter she had written to him after the pair were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
In the letter, Parton praised Eminem’s work as a rapper.
The rapper explained that receiving the message had made a lasting impression on him, particularly because Parton had taken the time to write to him despite the two never having met.
“I’m sorry we never got a chance to meet, but getting this note from Dolly really had an impact on me,” Eminem wrote on Instagram.
“Even for a kid who mostly listened to rap music, she was an icon. A superstar in every sense. Rest easy Dolly. And thank you for the kind words.”
His message offered another glimpse at the reach of Parton’s influence, extending well beyond the country music world.
Miley Cyrus remembers her godmother
Miley Cyrus, Parton’s goddaughter, also shared a deeply personal tribute following the singer’s death.
Cyrus posted a black-and-white photograph of Parton on Instagram on Aug. 26, acknowledging how difficult it was to put her grief into words.
“The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share,” she wrote.
Cyrus said that some of their most meaningful moments had been private and would remain that way, away from the public spotlight.
She also recalled one of their final conversations, which centred on music and transformation.
“What I KNOW is Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it, and then continue on and be strong,” Cyrus wrote.
“I have an angel by my side. I always have.”
She finished by promising that she would always love Parton and strive to make her proud, while expressing sympathy for Parton’s family, friends and fans around the world.
A fitting tribute on Styles’ opening night
Styles’ Madison Square Garden tribute came at the beginning of what is set to be a major run of performances in New York.
Rather than turning the moment into a performance of his own, Styles simply gave Parton the spotlight — allowing her voice to fill the arena as thousands of fans held up their phones in remembrance.
For an artist whose career has crossed generations and genres, the scene was a fitting tribute to Dolly Parton: her music continuing to resonate even as the world mourned her loss.