Harry Styles surprised fans on Wednesday with a moving tribute to the late Dolly Parton on the first night of his Madison Square Garden residency.
The singer, who is performing 30 dates at the iconic New York venue, made sure the legendary country singer was honored when he took the stage following news of her death.
On Tuesday it was announced that the 9 To 5 singer had died at the age of 80 after a short battle with cancer.
And Harry took a moment to pay his respects to Dolly as he told fans: ‘I just want to thank all the musicians who have inspired me over the years. Dolly, thank you very much.’
His band then began playing I Will Always Love You alongside the 1974 song, with Dolly singing while Harry encouraged fans to sing along.
Harry’s show came as Miley Cyrus penned a heartbreaking tribute to her godmother Dolly.
Harry Styles surprised fans on Wednesday with a Dolly Parton tribute on the first night of his New York Madison Square Garden residency (pictured performing in London last month)
Harry took a moment to pay his respects to Dolly, telling fans: ‘I just want to thank all the musicians who have inspired me over the years. Dolly, thank you very much’
Miley took to Instagram to share her pain with her 205 million followers, writing, “The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly goes beyond what feels right to share. Our most sacred moments were private and they will remain there behind the stage, beneath the glamor and between our hearts.”
Despite keeping some of their most personal moments to herself, she continued the heartfelt caption by saying Parton’s presence will always be felt.
Miley continued, “What I KNOW is that Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it and then move on and be strong. I have an angel by my side. I’ve always done that. One of our last conversations was about music and metamorphosis.
“I will always love her and I want to make her proud,” she added. “My heart breaks for the world, her family and friends who will miss her deeply. We are in this loss together and we will see her in the most beautiful things.’
Parton was linked to Cyrus her entire life, as the country legend previously opened up about how she became the Flowers hitmaker’s godmother.
“I’ve known her since she was a baby,” she said GMA in 2009. “Her father is a friend of mine, and when she was born, he said, ‘You should just be her godmother,’ and I said, ‘I accept it.’
‘We never had a big ceremony, but I’m so proud of her, I love her. And she’s like one of me.’
Katy Perry also paid tribute to the ‘inspirational’ Dolly on Wednesday with a series of heartwarming snaps following the country star’s death.
Earlier in the day, Harry was spotted walking around town in bright green Adidas shorts
Harry paired the shorts with white T-shirts, loafers and white socks
She showed herself to be very leggy in tiny black shorts, a white T-shirt and black kitten heels
He put on sunglasses and carried his belongings in a large brown bag over the shoulder bag
On Instagram, Katy referred to Dolly’s “Big boobs, big brain and a big voice” and described her as a woman who “defied the stereotypes” as she shared kind words for the late singer.
Alongside a series of photos of the couple over the years, Katy shared a video of her hanging out with Dolly backstage at the music legend’s concert at the Hollywood Bowl in 2016.
In tribute to Dolly, Katy wrote: ‘Like the rest of the world, my heart sank upon seeing the news of dear Dolly’s passing. She meant so much to so many people for so long.
‘To me, she was an example of a woman who defied stereotypes for decades. She proved that big boobs, big brains and a big voice can all exist in one small body! But the most important thing about her was her heart.”
She continued, “I had the honor of meeting her and singing with her several times. Every time I saw Dolly, she was a pure, sweet (but not saccharine) sassy cup of joy.
“Her way of looking at life with a sense of humor has always been an inspiration to me… I remember dreaming of having her sing with me for my Super Bowl show, emerging from a larger-than-life rhinestone-studded cowboy boot… and even though she couldn’t at the time, she sent my team a sweet note, via fax… it was 2015! lol.
“If there’s anyone you want to look up to and model your life after, it’s Dolly. Dolly was glamorous, funny and so kind. Her star will forever shine bright and I bet she’s already remodeling those pearly white gates with rhinestones. We will always love you, Dolly!’
Katy also shared a tweet she wrote in 2016 that read: “In a world driven by fear, @DollyParton makes me feel safe, pure and simple.”
Katy’s fans were quick to share their own tributes to Dolly, sharing in the Firework singer’s sadness at her passing.
Meanwhile, Dolly’s death was greeted with an outpouring of tributes from a host of other stars, including Reba McEntire, Maren Morris, Kacey Musgraves, Eminem, Sarah Jessica Parker, Pedro Pascal, Khloe Kardashian, Hillary Clinton and more.
President Donald Trump also paid tribute to Parton and ordered American flags nationwide be lowered for a week in her honor.
Shortly after news of Parton’s death broke, the Empire State Building’s official Instagram account announced that the iconic monument would be lit up in “pink sparkle” to honor her on Tuesday night at 9:25 p.m.
Her reps confirmed the country superstar’s death in a statement to People, sharing that the Jolene singer died after a “brief battle with cancer.” They did not reveal what type of cancer it was.
“Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity to everything she touched,” the statement said.
“After bravely enduring a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, surrounded by loved ones.”
“Her unparalleled generosity touched the lives of countless people she would never meet, but she was always there to lend a helping hand,” the statement continued.
“Whether it is the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding the research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people has been the guiding force for her lasting impact.”
