Brandi Carlile Remembers Dolly Parton's Unwavering Support for the LGBTQ+ Community: "She Took a Risk and Accepted Me"

Brandi Carlile is remembering Dolly Parton not only as a country music icon, but as someone who made LGBTQ+ people feel seen and accepted when doing so could come at a cost. In a heartfelt Instagram tribute following Parton's death at 80 on Tuesday, August 25, the 11-time Grammy Award winner, 45, recalled loving Parton long before they ever met. For Carlile, her willingness to embrace the LGBTQ+ community was a huge part of what made her so special.

"Before I met her, I loved her because she took a risk and accepted me (and all of us) for being gay in a time where she didn't need to say anything," Carlile wrote. "And she has been asked to comment and speak on MANY things over the years… choosing only to speak on that which brings love and mercy to real people, and shutting down any line of questioning that won't. She never wavered on accepting anyone for who they were and who they were meant to be."

A Friendship and Collaboration

That acceptance took on an even more personal meaning once Carlile and Parton became friends and collaborators. The pair shared the stage at the 2019 Newport Folk Festival, where Carlile performed alongside the "Jolene" singer and her Highwomen bandmates. One of the highlights of the set was their performance of Parton's classic "I Will Always Love You."

But their musical connection was only part of what made Parton so meaningful to "The Story" singer. She remembered Parton as a singular figure who could somehow make everyone feel like they belonged. "Dolly had a way of deeply belonging to every one of us, and yet somehow still not being of this world," Carlile wrote. "There's really only one other person in human history I can think of who has held that light."

A Performance to Remember

Carlile also recalled seeing Parton headline Glastonbury in 2014, a performance she said has stuck with her over the years. "I'm married to an agnostic Londoner, and I can't help but laugh out loud when I think of the raptured audience at Glastonbury in the palm of Dolly's hands, as she ended her once-in-a-lifetime set by shouting 'can I get an amen?!'" she wrote. "The sound of two hundred thousand immediate British 'AMENS' is something that causes me to burst into American hysterics at least once a week!"

A Personal Prayer

For Carlile, Parton's faith and her acceptance of others were never at odds. She recalled one especially personal moment when Parton prayed over her. "She took my face in her hands and prayed over me once. I've never been the same since," Carlile wrote. "Her prayers were maybe more powerful than mine or anyone else's, because that prayer has had a very long rainbow colored halo, and I hope it lasts me my whole life."

"I felt her leaving all week, and I've been singing 'Coat Of Many Colors' with I'm With Her and asking folks to pray every day. I don't even know why," she wrote.

A Musical Partnership

Carlile and Parton continued their musical friendship in 2023, when they teamed up with Pink for Parton's rock album Rockstar. The trio delivered a powerhouse cover of The Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction." Parton had originally hoped to record the song with Mick Jagger, but when their schedules didn't line up, she decided to enlist some female rock power instead.

"I wanted so badly to sing with Mick," Parton told Billboard at the time. "And then I thought, 'Well, if you're not going to sing that with me, I'm going to get some girl power going here.'"

For Carlile, though, Parton's legacy goes far beyond the songs they shared. "I loved Dolly with all my heart," she wrote. Her tribute captures the essence of who Parton was a woman of faith, generosity, and unwavering love for all people. She used her platform to champion acceptance and inclusion, and her influence will continue to be felt for generations.

As the world mourns her loss, Carlile's words serve as a reminder of the impact Parton had on individuals and communities. Her willingness to embrace the LGBTQ+ community, her powerful prayer, and her musical collaborations are just a few of the countless ways she touched lives. Parton's legacy is one of love, and it will endure.