Willie Nelson Shares Beautiful Goodbye to Dolly Parton After 60-Year Friendship

Deemed the Smoky Mountain Songbird, the world lost a shining light on Tuesday when Dolly Parton passed away at 80. Always one to think of others, the singer quietly removed herself from the spotlight as she battled cancer. Although away from the stage, she continued to support her numerous ventures and share her love with fans. While tributes poured in from every corner of the entertainment industry, Willie Nelson remembered the icon without even using a single word. 

When posting his tribute on Instagram, Nelson decided not to use words. It might seem confusing to some since his life had been surrounded by words and songwriting. But after Dolly passed, the country singer posted a video of them sharing the stage. Cherishing not just her talent but friendship, the performance showcased their harmony on “Everything’s Beautiful (In Its Own Way).” 

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While the performance took place in December 1984, the song was first written by Dolly even before she decided to chase her dream and move to Nashville. Eventually recording the track, Nelson didn’t add his signature to the song until collaborating on The Winning Hand tribute project. 

[RELATED: How Dolly Parton Once Saved a Small-Town Promoter’s Bacon When Their Headliner Got Too Drunk to Play]

Why Dolly Parton Considered Willie Nelson A “Big Job”

Having shared a friendship for over six decades, the loss was unimaginable for Nelson. Over the years, the two spoke fondly of each other. Dolly once admitted that it was somewhat of a big job to work with Nelson. “His phrasing is so unique and mine is also. You’d think we’d work great and we do sound good; it’s just that trying to catch him or trying to figure out where in the song he’s trying to go is a big job. But I loved doing it.”   

As for the person off the stage, Dolly considered Nelson to be a close friend. “I’ve loved him since my first days in Nashville. We came here about the same time and we both worked with Combine Music and Monument Records and RCA. We were like little pals in the early days in the ’60s. Trying to sing with him is almost funny. He’s just so hard to catch because he’s so different.” 

Long before the awards and sold-out shows, Dolly and Nelson were simply “little pals” trying to make it in Nashville. And Nelson’s tribute brought their story full circle one last time.  

(Photo by: Katherine Bomboy/NBC via Getty Images)