The Zac Brown Band recently pulled off a tear-jerking Dolly Parton tribute during their New York concert… and it’s definitely worth your time.
Zac Brown and his band have been very busy the past couple of years. Their Love & Fear album that was released late last year rolled right into a Sphere residency, and once that residency was over (which was a bit controversial at times), the Zac Brown Band rolled right into a Love & Fear Tour that they are still currently out on.
It was back at the end of August (the 27th and 28th, to be exact) that the tour took them to Forest Hills, New York, and it was there that – just a few days after the world lost Dolly Parton – the Zac Brown Band laid down an emotional tribute to the late, great country star.
Brown rather recently collaborated with the Queen of Country Music. She was included on Love & Fear in a duet titled “Butterfly,” and the 48-year-old country singer was very open about how wonderful it was to work with Dolly shortly after the collab was released:
“We released the song with Dolly Parton. It just came out a couple of weeks ago. It’s called ‘Butterfly.’ She is such an incredible (person). There will never be another Dolly. The most published, most brilliant female writer ever. That was a dream.”
Brown added in that interview that “Butterfly” is the song that he’s most proud of out of all of his songs. There’s no doubt that working with Parton was a dream come true.
In the days after her passing, the Zac Brown Band knew they had to honor the “9 to 5” singer in some way. So during the New York concert, Brown introduced the song “Butterfly” like this:
“I want to dedicate this song to Mrs. Dolly Parton. There will never be another Dolly Parton, ladies and gentlemen. And for us to be around her and get to be friends with her and get to make music with her… the example that she set as a human being, loving everyone.
One of the most talented, funny, beautiful human beings I’ve ever met in my life. We were privileged enough to get to record this song with her not too long ago, and be in her presence again. This is for you Dolly. We love you.”
The band then broke into the song that Brown and Dolly had just put together a year prior. They even played Dolly’s vocal portions through the speakers, and that ended up making the tribute that much more moving.
Tears were plentiful throughout the Forest Hills venue, as were smiles from those in the crowd remembering Dolly. Fans were incredibly touched by the tribute, and it even looked like Zac Brown himself was fighting back tears. It was a beautiful moment – one only music can deliver – and there’s no doubt that Dolly Parton was smiling down on the performance.
Check it out:
Zac Brown Band – Butterfly (Feat. Dolly Parton) Live from Forest Hills, NY
