Jelly Roll made a surprise appearance at the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night, Aug. 29, joining Carly Pearce for a moving performance of Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5.”
The unexpected duet became the finale of an evening devoted to Parton, who died just four days earlier at age 80 following a brief battle with cancer.
As Pearce and Jelly Roll sang, the other performers from the evening joined them onstage for the closing sing-along, turning the performance into a collective tribute to one of country music’s most enduring stars.
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A Night That Took on New Meaning
The Aug. 29 Grand Ole Opry lineup had been arranged before Parton’s death. Once the news broke, however, the artists reshaped their performances to honor her, filling the evening with songs associated with her career.
Pearce was the featured performer. The appearance already carried special significance for her, as she was marking five years as a member of the Grand Ole Opry while also celebrating the release of her new album, Honest Woman. The album arrived Aug. 28 through BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville.
The show ultimately became something larger: a tribute to Parton woven into a night that had originally been planned around Pearce.
Kathy Mattea, Channing Wilson, Dan Tyminski, T. Graham Brown, Belle Frantz, Ketch Secor and Molly Tuttle also performed during the evening.
For Belle Frantz, the occasion was especially notable because she was making her Grand Ole Opry debut. Even with the night taking an unexpected turn, her appearance became part of the tribute to Parton.
The Dolly Parton Tribute Set List
The performances covered some of Parton’s best-known songs while also including selections that were less familiar to some listeners. Each artist brought a different connection to the material.
The evening’s performances unfolded in this order:
- Carly Pearce: “Those Memories of You”
- Kathy Mattea: “Jolene”
- Ketch Secor and Molly Tuttle: “Just Someone I Used To Know”
- Dan Tyminski: “Smile When You’re Alone”
- T. Graham Brown: “Beulah Land”
- Belle Frantz: “Where No One Stands Alone”
- Channing Wilson: “My Tennessee Mountain Home”
- Jada Star: “The Orchard”
- Carly Pearce and Jelly Roll, joined by the full cast: “9 to 5”
- Dolly Parton: “I Will Always Love You” in a video presentation
The Aug. 29 set list also confirms Pearce’s performance of “9 to 5” with Jelly Roll as the closing song.
Jelly Roll’s Surprise Appearance
Jelly Roll’s entrance gave the finale an added surprise.
Pearce was already scheduled to perform at the Opry that night, but the show had become a tribute to Parton after her death on Aug. 25. When Jelly Roll joined Pearce for “9 to 5,” the song brought the evening to a celebratory close rather than ending solely on a somber note.
The full cast then joined them for the sing-along.
The performance was particularly timely for Jelly Roll. Earlier that week, he had been serving as guest host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! from Aug. 24 through Aug. 28. ABC’s schedule confirms that he hosted the program throughout the week, including the Friday episode just one day before his Opry appearance.
His connection to the evening was also personal. During his Jimmy Kimmel Live! hosting stint, Jelly Roll had already spoken emotionally about Parton following her death, reflecting on her importance to his family and to his own life.
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Carly Pearce’s Connection to the Evening
Pearce had more than one reason to make the Aug. 29 performance memorable.
The night marked five years since she became a member of the Grand Ole Opry, while her fifth studio album, Honest Woman, had just been released on Aug. 28. The record includes her collaboration with Riley Green, “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay.”
The Dolly tribute also carried particular meaning because Parton had played a role in Pearce’s Opry journey. Pearce’s performance of “Those Memories of You” opened her portion of the tribute, before she returned later for the “9 to 5” finale with Jelly Roll.
Remembering Dolly Parton at the Opry
Parton’s death on Aug. 25 at age 80 came after what her representatives described as a brief battle with cancer. Her death was announced in Nashville, where she died surrounded by loved ones.
At the Opry, the response was immediate. Artists who had arrived for an already scheduled show adapted their sets to reflect the loss, turning the night into a broad musical remembrance.
The closing moments brought the tribute full circle. After the live performance of “9 to 5,” the audience was shown a video of Parton performing “I Will Always Love You,” allowing the country icon’s own voice to close an evening built around her music.
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For a show that had originally been planned around Carly Pearce’s Opry anniversary and new album, the Aug. 29 performance ultimately became a farewell to Dolly Parton. Pearce, Jelly Roll and the rest of the cast brought together generations of country and roots performers, ending the night with one of Parton’s most recognizable songs and a stage full of artists singing in her honor.
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