Katy offered her own affectionate tribute, calling Dolly a champion of female artists. Onstage, she said, “For me, Dolly is the blueprint.” Backstage, she remembered how equally Dolly treated people, saying:
“She was just so warm and comforting and she treated everyone the same way.”
The special also put that love to practical use, raising $1 million for Dolly’s Imagination Library, the book-gifting program that encourages children to read. The celebration is available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu.
Ella’s “Jolene” may have divided listeners, but the fierce attachment behind those reactions says something about the woman everyone came to honor. Dolly made people care deeply about a frightened woman in a song, and more than five decades later, they are still listening with their whole hearts.
