Dolly Parton was laid to rest in a private burial in Nashville on Friday, three days after the country music legend died at age 80.
Parton’s niece Lainey Mae Parton shared news of the burial Saturday in an emotional social media post remembering her aunt.
“This is a really hard post for me to make. I wanted to wait until after my granny was laid to rest yesterday before I tried to put any of this into words,” she wrote in an Instagram post alongside photos of Parton.
“From the time I was little, my granny always had a way of making me feel like I was enough,” she continued. “She believed in me before I even knew how to believe in myself.”
Lainey Mae also reflected on Parton’s close relationship with her family.
“Because she couldn’t have kids of her own, she always made us feel like we were hers,” she wrote. “She loved us that way, and I’ll forever be grateful for that.”
Parton died on Aug. 25 after “bravely facing a brief battle with cancer,” according to her publicist.
Following her burial, tributes to Parton continued Saturday night at the Grand Ole Opry, which dedicated its Aug. 29 show to the longtime Opry member and Country Music Hall of Fame inductee.
A portion of ticket proceeds from the show will be donated to Parton’s Imagination Library, the childhood literacy program she founded.
Parton’s niece Jada Star spoke on behalf of the family and performed “The Orchard” during the tribute.
Carly Pearce, who began her career performing at Dollywood as a teenager and was invited by Parton to join the Opry in 2021, performed “Those Memories of You.” Kathy Mattea dedicated a performance of “Jolene” to Parton’s memory.
The performers later gathered onstage for “9 to 5,” with Opry member Jelly Roll making a surprise appearance. The night concluded with the artists and backstage guests watching a video of Parton performing “I Will Always Love You” at the Opry.
The tributes come as Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Nashville International Airport have announced their intent to name the airport in Parton’s honor.
Lee said the move would create “a lasting tribute to her indelible legacy and the generations of people she inspired across Tennessee and around the world.”
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