Dolly Parton has addressed Elle King’s drunk tribute performance in her honour last month, urging fans to “forgive that and forget it.”
King took to the stage at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee in January as part of a tribute concert celebrating Parton’s 78th birthday. During her performance of Parton’s 2001 song ‘Marry Me’, King was heard slurring her words, telling the audience she didn’t know the lyrics, and admitting to being “fucking hammered.”
@auctioneergirl I think Elle King just ended here career. I cant imagine disrespecting Dolly at the @Grand Ole Opry on Dollys birthday 🤦🏼♀️ I hope Elle gets the help she needs cause this does not pass the vibe check. **This is not my video** • • • #thegrandoleopry #drunk #elleking #ellekingmusic #Tennessee #fyp #foryoupage #foryoupageofficiall #fypシ #fypシ゚viral
“I don’t know the lyrics to these things in this fucking town,” King told concertgoers, “don’t tell Dolly ‘cus it’s her birthday”.
Now, Parton has addressed the incident in a recent interview with Extra, saying King has “felt worse than anybody ever could” following the performance.
“Elle is really a great artist,” Parton said, “she’s a great girl and she’s been going through a lot of hard things lately.” Parton said King simply “had a little too much to drink,” before urging fans to “just forgive that and forget it and move on.”
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Grand Ole Opry issued an apology in the wake of King’s set. “We deeply regret and apologize for the language that was used during last night’s second Opry performance,” the venue wrote. King – who has yet to personally comment on the incident – performed at the tribute concert alongside fellow country artists Terri Clark, Tigirlily Gold, Ashley Monroe and Dailey, among others.
Also in celebration of her birthday, Parton last month shared the deluxe edition of her rock covers album ‘Rockstar’, featuring new versions of Eurythmics’ ‘Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)’ and Billy Joel’s ‘The Entertainer’.
“‘Rockstar’ is as bursting with life and positivity as the woman who made it,” NME wrote of the album – Parton’s highest-charting in history – in a four-star review.