Orville Peck Covers "I Will Always Love You" Live in London Hours After Dolly Parton's Death
Country singer Dolly Parton died on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at age 80, following what was described as a brief cancer illness. Hours after the news broke, Orville Peck was performing an in-store show at Rough Trade East in London to promote his new album Mule. He addressed the crowd about Parton's influence on him before covering "I Will Always Love You." According to NME, Peck said hearing the news left him "a little bit of a mess."
The Rough Trade East performance
Before singing, Peck spoke to the audience about what Parton represented, saying she "stood for kindness" and that this was something the world currently lacks. He also described the isolation he felt entering country music as a gay artist, saying Parton's presence made him feel like "there might be a friend out there."
"We love Dolly and this is for her," Peck told the crowd before beginning the song. Originally written and recorded by Parton and later popularized by Whitney Houston's cover, Peck sang it dropped an octave to suit his own range, visibly emotional by the song's final section.
This wasn't the first time Peck has performed the song — he previously covered it in 2019 at VFILES' 12 Mercer space. The Rough Trade East set was part of promotion for Mule, due out September 18.
Tributes from across the industry
Beyond Peck, artists and public figures who paid public tribute to Parton include:
- Paul McCartney
- Taylor Swift
- Eminem
- Elton John
- Mick Jagger
- Cyndi Lauper
- Oprah Winfrey
- Barbra Streisand
- Jack White
- Andrew Lloyd Webber
- Kelly Clarkson
- Debbie Harry
- Shania Twain
- Barack Obama
- Beyoncé
Jack White performed "Jolene" at a London show as tribute, and the UK's Royal Guard played "9 To 5" outside Buckingham Palace. US President Donald Trump ordered flags nationwide to fly at half-staff for a week and called Parton one of the greatest country singers of all time on Truth Social.
What we know about her final days
Parton's team said she "worked until the day she died," with plans that reportedly included a virtual avatar performance and Broadway musical projects still in motion. A week before her death, she had updated fans on her health, saying she had delayed seeking medical treatment — during which time, across 58 years of marriage, she had been caring for her husband Carl Dean, who died last year.