Revisiting Dolly Parton’s Angelic Performance Of “He’s Alive” From 1990
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Country music icon Dolly Parton was never afraid to speak openly about her Christian faith and the important role God played in her life.
On August 25, Dolly’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, shared the news of her passing. Bryan reassured fans that Dolly is now “in the arms of Jesus” and was “surely met by Carl, her parents, and countless others who have watched her, and longed for her to meet them in the heavens.”
The “Jolene” singer was raised in the Church of God, where her grandfather served as the preacher. She was baptized at 12 years old and grew up in a home filled with music, her grandfather was a skilled fiddle player, and she and her 11 siblings would travel to local churches to sing.
Speaking in an interview just one year before her death, Dolly told podcast host Khloe Kardashian that some people have encouraged her to be less outspoken about her relationship with God. However, Dolly has never allowed those opinions to keep her from sharing what her faith means to her.
“Even if I knew there was no God, I’d choose to believe it, because I wanna believe there’s something out there, and I do believe it, so it doesn’t matter. People say, ‘You shouldn’t talk about that.’ I said,’ Well, yes I should.’ I’m not telling you what to do. I’m just telling you what makes me work, what I believe,” Dolly said at the time.
Over the years, Dolly has teamed up with many Christian artists, including for King & Country to release a rendition of their popular hit, “God Only Knows.”
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Dolly Parton’s Beautiful 1990 GMA Dove Awards Performance
In 1990, Dolly took the stage at the Gospel Music Association Dove Awards for an incredibly moving performance that put her Christian faith on full display.
The country music legend performed “He’s Alive,” a beloved gospel song centered on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The moment would go on to become one of the most memorable moments in the awards show’s history.
Written by Christian singer-songwriter Don Francisco, the gospel song retells the resurrection of Jesus Christ through the perspective of Peter. The powerful story moves from the grief and despair following Christ’s crucifixion to the overwhelming joy of discovering that He had risen.
Dolly recorded her own version of “He’s Alive” for her 1989 album, White Limozeen, introducing the moving gospel song to an even broader country music audience.
You can watch Dolly’s powerful performance of “He’s Alive” below.
