Ella Langley had us all glued to our screens Wednesday night. The “Choosin’ Texas” singer gave a stunning performance of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” during the I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton event.
The two-hour special took place at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee at the school’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts.
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In addition to Langley, the night also included performances from the likes of Ashley McBryde, Béla Fleck, Brad Paisley, Carly Pearce, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Kelsea Ballerini, Kristen Bell, Kristin Chenoweth, Lady A, Lainey Wilson, Little Big Town, Lukas Nelson, Molly Tuttle, Reba McEntire, Ricky Skaggs, Sierra Hull, Vince Gill and Zac Brown.
A student ensemble from Belmont’s Dolly U program also performed. The program, which is still active at the University, teaches students about Parton’s career and legacy.
If you were unable to catch A Celebration of Dolly Parton on ABC and Disney +, next-day streaming of the event will also be available on Hulu.
Ella Langley Credits Parton for Being Her “Authentic Self”
On August 25, Bryan Seaver, Parton’s nephew, shared in a social media announcement that the country music legend had passed on. As her head of security, he was asked to do this years ago. “…I have imagined the heaviness of this moment, but haven’t truly felt it until now,” he shared.
Following the announcement of Parton’s death, Langley shared a heartwarming message on her Instagram story.
“Dolly, thank you for standing up for yourself as an artist, a songwriter, a musician, a producer, an author, a creative, and most importantly a woman in this industry,” she wrote. “You paved the way for so many to be brave. Thank you for being unafraid to show your most authentic self. The world needed Dolly and will never see another like it. The gates of heaven just welcomed home a beautiful soul.”
Then, a few days later, during a performance in her hometown of Alabama, Langley sang “Jolene” to an eager crowd. Sporting Auburn colors, she gave her own spin on the beloved classic.
“Tonight’s show didn’t feel right without doing something like this,” she told the audience, according to a fan video captured on TikTok.
Photo by: Jason Kempin/Getty Images
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