Katy Perry, Kesha, Pitbull and Jon Batiste Pay Tribute to Dolly Parton on Stage, in Song: ‘She Was Kind to Everyone’
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Kesha’s tribute adds a personal dimension to the growing onstage remembrances of Dolly Parton, following reports of the country star’s death aged 80. At a Pittsburgh concert, Kesha performed “Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle To You)” and described Parton’s support as both professionally and emotionally significant, while Katy Perry, Jon Batiste and Pitbull also praised Parton’s talent, warmth and influence.
Kesha explained that the song, co-written by her mother Pebe Sebert, had helped provide for her family and later became a duet with Parton on Kesha’s 2017 album Rainbow. Perry urged fans to revisit Parton’s songwriting catalogue, Batiste played “I Will Always Love You” on piano, and Pitbull toasted his 2024 collaborator before dancing to “9 to 5”; Parton had contributed vocals to his song “Powerful Women”.
- Kesha recalled Parton’s crucial personal and professional support.
- Perry, Batiste and Pitbull also honoured Parton publicly.
- Tributes highlighted Parton’s songwriting, kindness and cross-genre influence.
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Dolly Parton is one of the best-known figures in American country music, with a career spanning more than six decades as a singer, songwriter, actor and businesswoman. She wrote songs including “Jolene”, “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You”, the latter later becoming a major hit for Whitney Houston.
Parton was also known for working across musical styles and generations. Her collaborations ranged from country performers to pop, rap and rock artists, while her Imagination Library charity has distributed books to children in several countries.
Kesha, Katy Perry, Jon Batiste and Pitbull are artists from different parts of the music industry, reflecting Parton’s broad influence. Kesha’s connection is especially personal because Parton recorded a song written by Kesha’s mother and later appeared on Kesha’s album Rainbow.
Full account
News of Dolly Parton’s reported death prompted tributes from artists across pop, country and other genres, with several choosing public performances as a way to acknowledge her influence. The first report describes responses arriving within hours of the announcement, presenting Parton’s reach as extending well beyond country music and highlighting both her songwriting and the personal regard she inspired among fellow performers.
At a concert in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, Katy Perry spoke to the audience about Parton’s talent, resilience and longstanding kindness. Perry encouraged listeners to return to Parton’s catalogue, characterising her as an essential figure for songwriters, before performing her own “Thinking of You”. Jon Batiste shared a filmed piano rendition of “I Will Always Love You”, wearing country-inspired clothing, while Pitbull paused a New York show to remember Parton as someone who had supported him early in his career. He raised a toast and incorporated “9 to 5” into the performance; the report links their connection to their 2024 collaboration on his track “Powerful Women”.
Kesha’s tribute also reflected a family connection. At her Pittsburgh concert, she performed “Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle to You)”, which was co-written by her mother, Pebe Sebert, and Hugh Moffatt before becoming a number-one country single for Parton in 1980. Separately, the second report centres on Miley Cyrus, Parton’s goddaughter, who wrote online that some of their most meaningful memories would remain private. Cyrus said Parton would have wanted her to process the loss through music and to carry on, and referred to their recent discussions about music and transformation. Billy Ray Cyrus also remembered Parton warmly, including her humorous response to old tabloid speculation.
The accounts together portray Parton as both a major musical figure and a valued mentor or friend. The second report additionally says that Parton died in Nashville on 25 August after a short period with cancer, citing a family announcement and representatives, and includes other online condolences such as one attributed to Paul McCartney. Those details are not the focus of the first report, which instead concentrates on immediate onstage and musical tributes from Perry, Batiste, Pitbull and Kesha.
Where outlets differ
Source 1 focuses on live performances and musical tributes, particularly those by Katy Perry, Jon Batiste, Pitbull and Kesha; Source 2 focuses on Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus’s family relationship with Parton and social-media statements.
Source 2 gives reported circumstances of Parton’s death and attributes them to family and representatives, whereas Source 1 chiefly treats the announcement as the context for tributes.
Source 1 gives detailed background on Pitbull’s 2024 collaboration with Parton and the chart history of Kesha’s chosen song; Source 2 instead gives background on Parton becoming Miley Cyrus’s godmother and appearing on Hannah Montana.
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