Jelly Roll Honors Dolly Parton With Heartfelt ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ Tribute
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Jelly Roll was amid a four-night stint as the guest host of Jimmy Kimmel Live when the loss of Dolly Parton rocked the country music community.
It has become tradition for Jimmy Kimmel to take a vacation from hosting his late-night show each summer, and he calls on his celebrity friends to sit at the famous desk in his absence. This week, Jelly Roll will host the show from August 24 – 27.
During his time on the show, the “Save Me” singer will be joined by a variety of guests, including actor Glen Powell, author Jay Shetty, comedian Leanne Morgan, musical guest Stevie Nicks, and more.
This marks Jelly Roll’s second consecutive summer filling in for Kimmel. In 2025, he dramatically body-slammed Logan Paul through the desk as a promotional stunt for an upcoming WWE match.
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Jelly Roll Pays Tribute To Dolly Parton
News of the death of country music legend Dolly Parton came on the second day of Jelly Roll’s Kimmel residency. During his opening monologue on Tuesday (August 25), he took a few moments to address what was “on everyone’s heart and mind.”
“We lost a legend today, the great Dolly Parton. She was such an inspiration to so many, myself included. We’re both from Tennessee, and she meant a lot to my family.”
The 41-year-old recalls listening to Dolly Parton’s music around the kitchen table with his family. Highlighting their shared musical aspirations, he continues:
“I learned so much from Dolly over the years about songwriting, how to handle this crazy business, and how to support your community. So, I want to send my love to East Tennessee and Sevier County right now, representing her.”
He concludes:
“She was infinitely talented. She was relentlessly funny and adored by all. She might be the last American that everyone liked. We will miss her dearly.”
See Jelly Roll’s tribute to Dolly Parton on Jimmy Kimmel Live in the video below.
Jelly Roll & Henry Winkler Reflect On Working with Dolly
Actor and director Henry Winkler was a special guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live that same night. He worked with the late country star when he directed Parton’s very first television movie, the 1986 holiday film A Smoky Mountain Christmas.
Similarly, it was one of Winkler’s first-ever directing jobs. He reflected on that experience and told Jelly Roll:
“Everything you imagine she is – or was – everything that you wanted her to be, she was.”
He describes her as an “amazing soul on this earth.” Listen to Henry Winkler’s remarks about Dolly Parton in the video below.
