Ever the philanthropist: Dolly Parton still loves Elle King, and wants others to do too, defending the “Ex's and Oh's” singer after King ruined the country legend's family birthday show at the Grand Ole Opry on last month.
“Elle is a great artist,” the country music legend said during a recent interview with “Extra.” “She is a great girl. She has been going through a lot of hard things lately and she just drank too much.”
Or, as King said that night at the Ryman Auditorium, she was “fucking screwed,” slurring her words as she forgot the lyrics to Parton’s 2001 song, “Marry Me.”
“I don't know the words to this in this damn city,” the 34-year-old said on stage. “Don't tell Dolly, because it's her birthday.”
King, the daughter of comedian Rob Schneider, also cursed repeatedly during the star-studded concert and joked with the crowd about her delivery, telling them: “You won't get your money back.”
Observers compared his performance to “drunken karaoke” and raised other concerns, leading the Grand Ole Opry to issue an apology online.
“[W]“We deeply regret and apologize for the language used during the second Opry performance last night,” the vaunted show tweeted.
But the singer-songwriter of “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You” didn't pay attention.
“Let's forgive that, let's forget about it and move on, because she felt worse than anyone else,” Parton said.
A spokesperson for Parton had nothing to add beyond the singer's comments on “Extra.”
Days after the Opry performance, King postponed five shows without indicating a reason for the last-minute changes. The singer plans to return to the stage on March 1 during the Extra Innings Festival in Tempe, Arizona, according to her official tour website.
Parton went silent immediately after King's viral performance, but his outspoken sister Stella did it No. Stella Parton accused King of disrespecting the Country Music and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. tweeting that “if you are lucky enough to be in front of a paying audience, give them your best or get off the stage. I don't believe the weak excuse of being “beaten” to get out. Fans pay our salaries FYI. Sometimes they sacrifice to achieve it.”
King has yet to comment on the performance, and the singer's representatives did not immediately respond Monday to The Times' request for comment.
