The article revisits a 2020 virtual interview in which Dolly Parton sang the traditional ballad ‘Bury Me Beneath the Willow’ for Stephen Colbert, visibly moving him to tears. It says the clip has resurfaced following reports of Parton’s death, highlighting the emotional force of her voice and her connection to the songs her mother sang.

Parton introduced the song as a sad tale of a woman abandoned before her wedding, then sang several verses a cappella while Colbert laughed in amazement and wiped away tears. When she noticed his reaction, she gently teased him about crying himself to death before the show could finish. The article states that Parton died on 25 August after a brief battle with cancer, aged 80.