Zac Brown Fights Back Tears During Emotional Dolly Parton Tribute in New York
Just days after Dolly Parton’s death, Zac Brown Band turned a New York concert into a deeply personal tribute to the country legend.
During the band’s August 27 and 28 performances at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, Brown dedicated “Butterfly,” his collaboration with Parton, to the singer. As Parton’s recorded vocals filled the venue, the emotional weight of the moment became clear, with Brown appearing to fight back tears as the crowd remembered one of country music’s most beloved figures.
Parton died on August 25, 2026, at age 80. Her death came only about a year after she and Brown released “Butterfly” on his Love & Fear album.
Zac Brown’s connection with Dolly Parton
The tribute carried particular significance because Brown had recently described working with Parton as a dream come true.
The Zac Brown Band had been on a busy run over the previous couple of years. Their Love & Fear album arrived late the previous year, followed by the band’s Sphere residency and then the ongoing Love & Fear Tour.
“Butterfly” became one of the most meaningful songs from that album for Brown. In an interview promoting the record, he explained that the song was especially important to him because it was the first song he had written on piano.
Brown said he had sat down at the piano and tried to write something, eventually creating “Butterfly” as a song for his children. Having Parton join him on the recording made the finished track even more special.
When asked which of his released songs he was most proud of, Brown singled out “Butterfly.”
He also spoke warmly about Parton, describing her as a singular talent and praising what she had accomplished throughout her career, including her philanthropic work.
A tribute that came only days after her passing
When Brown and the band took the stage in Queens shortly after Parton’s death, “Butterfly” naturally took on a different meaning.
Introducing the song, Brown dedicated it directly to Parton and reflected on the opportunity he and his band had to know her personally and make music with her.
He remembered Parton not only for her extraordinary musical talent, but also for the example she set through the way she treated other people. Brown described her as one of the most talented, funny and beautiful people he had ever met.
He then told the crowd that the band had been privileged to record the song with her and share her presence once again.
“This is for you Dolly. We love you,” Brown said before the band began playing “Butterfly.”
The song had been written and recorded with Parton only a relatively short time earlier, making the performance feel less like a distant look back at her career and more like an immediate farewell from someone who had worked alongside her.
Hearing Dolly’s voice made the moment even more emotional
Rather than replacing Parton’s contribution, the band played her recorded vocal parts through the venue during the performance.
That decision gave the tribute an especially poignant quality. Brown was performing the song live while Parton’s voice remained part of the performance, allowing the audience to hear the two artists together once again.
“Butterfly” had also become part of the Zac Brown Band’s live set around this time. The song appeared during the band’s August 27 Forest Hills performance, marking its tour debut, and it remained in the set the following night.
For the audience, the performance brought together the joy of hearing Parton’s voice and the sadness of knowing she was no longer there to perform alongside Brown.
There were plenty of tears throughout the venue, but the mood was also filled with smiles as fans remembered Parton and celebrated the music she had left behind.
Brown appeared visibly emotional himself as the song unfolded.
A fitting farewell through music
The Forest Hills tribute was especially meaningful because “Butterfly” represented a direct connection between Brown and Parton rather than simply being a song from Parton’s catalog.
Brown had written the song, Parton had recorded it with him, and the two artists had only recently shared the track with listeners. Brown had already called it the song he was most proud of, making his decision to dedicate it to Parton after her death all the more personal.
The Zac Brown Band also honored Parton elsewhere in the performance period. At the August 27 Forest Hills show, the band performed Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released” as another tribute to Parton, with Grace Potter joining Brown onstage.
Still, “Butterfly” carried its own emotional weight.
As Parton’s voice came through the speakers and Brown performed the song they had created together, the concert became a farewell shared by the musicians and thousands of fans in the crowd.
It was a reminder of how quickly a new song can take on an entirely different meaning. What began as a collaboration between two country artists became, only months later, a way for Brown and his audience to say goodbye.
Watch: Zac Brown Band performs “Butterfly” featuring Dolly Parton live from Forest Hills, New York.
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