Kacey Musgraves Honors ‘Supernova’ Dolly Parton and Covers ‘9 to 5’

The singer paid tribute to Parton during her Madison Square Garden concert

Kacey Musgraves once again paid tribute to Dolly Parton during her Middle of Nowhere Tour.

During her show at Madison Square Garden in New York on Monday night, Musgraves paused the concert to remember the beloved country superstar a week after her death at 80.

“I’m not over it, and I’m never gonna be over it,” Musgraves told the packed venue as images of Parton were shared on a large screen above the stage. “The world definitely lost a light, and it’s hard for me to talk about. And I know how much Dolly meant to everybody also in this room. I think why it feels so dark is it’s already hard to navigate these times right now, and then we lose a matriarch like that. It’s the closest thing we’ve ever had to royalty.”

Musgraves continued, calling Parton a “supernova of a person.” The singer-songwriter said she took comfort knowing Parton’s “soul and her bones are literally part of this galaxy, this universe, the fabric of space and time.” She added, “I definitely, for sure, I would not be able to stand up here and do what I do if I hadn’t been for Dolly Parton.”

The artist launched into her Golden Hour ballad “Rainbow,” which she first played on her tour last Friday in Boston to honor Parton. During the TD Garden performance, Musgraves revealed that the country icon was the inspiration behind the track.

On Monday at MSG, Musgraves also covered Parton’s classic song “9 to 5,” which Parton penned for the 1980 film of the same name. The track is one of Parton’s most popular hits and has resonated throughout the decades as a worker’s anthem of pride, struggle, and solidarity.

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“We’ve come a long way, but there’s going to always be a long ways to go for women are still fighting for their rights, for equal pay, for equal work and all that,” Parton said on a radio show in 2022. “So I think it’s still relevant and people still love it.”

Parton was laid to rest after a private funeral in Nashville attended only by immediate family on Aug. 28. “Dolly Parton’s legacy is one of love, kindness, and resilience,” Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum’s obituary read. “With a seven-decade career, she inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place. Her songs will continue to resonate with people of all ages, and her philanthropic work will have a lasting impact.”