Glastonbury remembers Dolly Parton
She performed in 2014
Last updated 26th Aug 2026
Glastonbury Festival organisers have remembered Dolly Parton’s acclaimed 2014 performance, calling her an “untouchable legend” and an “absolute delight”.
Parton, who died yesterday, aged 80, in Nashville, Tennessee, performed hits such as Jolene and Blue Smoke, to more than 100,000 people, from the festival’s Pyramid Stage in the Sunday Afternoon Legend’s Slot.
The singer, who appeared in white, dressed in a rhinestone-encrusted waistcoat and matching trousers, told the crowd she had been “waiting a lifetime” to perform at the festival.
In a post on Instagram, Emily Eavis, the organiser of Glastonbury Festival, said: “I will never forget her coming here in 2014 and bringing her incredible songs, overflowing joy and wonderful spirit to Worthy Farm.
“We had always dreamed of booking her for Glastonbury and I started to think that maybe it would never happen, but the stars aligned and she finally said yes.
“From the moment she arrived, she was an absolute delight, just so lovely.
“There was a vast crowd in the field for her slot, the sun shone and when she walked out onto the Pyramid Stage she reigned supreme. It was just magic. Thank you for it all, Dolly.”
Parton, who said she had composed a special “mud” song, in honour for her trip to Glastonbury, was also joined on stage by Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora, for Lay Your Hands On Me.
The crowd stretched back in all directions, with all the walkways leading to the stage full and many complaining they had no chance of seeing the diminutive star.
But, as she began the classic song 9 To 5, they erupted into cheers, singing along and dancing on the spot.
Jo Whiley, who introduced her BBC Radio 2 evening show on Tuesday by playing I Will Always Love You, Jolene and 9 To 5, said Parton’s 2014 Glastonbury show was “one of the most incredible performances”.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen that field fuller,” Whiley said, adding that she interviewed Parton at the festival and recalled “she was so kind and so lovely”.
Although Parton, then 68, went down a storm with those watching, many viewing her set as it was broadcast on TV questioned whether the singer was miming.
A spokesman for the star rubbished the claims, saying: “No, she sings live.
“Some people don’t know an amazing singer when they hear one.”
Parton responded to the controversy in her typical fashion, telling The Sun: “My boobs are fake, my hair’s fake but what is real is my voice and my heart.”
Before performing at Glastonbury, the singer told a press conference backstage that she planned to play some of the more upbeat tracks from her extensive back catalogue, adding: “I can’t do a bunch of sad songs because everyone is drunk and high.”
Describing Glastonbury as the “biggest festival in the world”, she added: “I thought I had to write a song about the Glastonbury mud, even though the sun’s shining today.”
She said the conditions underfoot made her feel at home as she grew up in Tennessee on a farm.
“I’m just a country girl and now I feel like a rock star,” she said.
Parton offered to adopt a dog, who was left behind at the festival, before it was later re-united with its owners.
The country superstar said there was some sadness that she would not be able to look after the white lurcher, but she was “glad” the dog was back with her family, as the animal was too old to travel back to the US with her.
The dog was found in a tent, during a clean-up, after thousands of festival-goers left the site and was taken in by the nearby Happy Landings animal shelter, with Parton later offering to give her a home.
But the Jolene singer said the shelter had called to say the owners had come forward.
“Everybody feels good about it. I did not get to take her home – I was looking forward to it. I was gonna rename her Glassy because of Glastonbury, I was going to say ‘Glassy Come Home’,” she joked.