Vince Gill is honoring his longtime friend and musical collaborator, Dolly Parton, with a deeply emotional performance.
During a concert at the Midland Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri, on Thursday, Aug. 27, the 69-year-old country star reflected on Parton’s death at age 80, just two days earlier.
Gill told the audience that he and his family were “crushed” when they learned of Parton’s passing. He then announced that he would perform “I Will Always Love You,” the iconic song that Gill and Parton recorded as a duet, which later charted in 1995.
As Gill sang the song famously associated with Whitney Houston, he became visibly emotional at several moments. Fan-recorded videos from the concert show the audience cheering and applauding as he brought the performance to an end.
Representatives for Parton previously confirmed to PEOPLE that the “Jolene” singer died on Aug. 25 following a “brief battle with cancer.” The specific type of cancer was not revealed. Parton’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, was the first to announce her death in a video posted to her Instagram account.
Gill, who is married to singer-songwriter Amy Grant, had already shared an emotional tribute to Parton on Instagram. He posted footage of the pair performing “I Will Always Love You” at the 1995 CMA Awards.
“We are all crushed here at our house,” Gill wrote in the caption. He recalled that one of the most beautiful sounds he had ever heard was the moment he and Parton sang the final note of “I Will Always Love You” together during their CMA Awards performance.
Gill is among several major artists who have paid tribute to Parton onstage following her death.
On Friday, Aug. 28, Kacey Musgraves honored the legendary singer-songwriter during her performance at Boston’s TD Garden. Musgraves, 38, sang Parton’s classic “Here You Come Again” after performing her own song “Rainbow,” which she dedicated to the 9 to 5 star.
John Mayer also paid tribute to Parton during a private SiriusXM performance on Wednesday, Aug. 26, at Stephen Talkhouse in the Hamptons. Although members of the packed audience repeatedly called out for “Jolene,” Mayer chose to perform “I Will Always Love You” instead, delivering a solo guitar rendition before moving into “Gravity” for the encore.
Brad Paisley also remembered Parton during his Bridgeport, Connecticut, concert on Thursday, Aug. 27. After performing “When I Get Where I’m Going,” his 2005 duet with Parton, Paisley spoke about how their collaboration came together.
“When I recorded that song and sent it to Dolly, I said, ‘A couple of people in my life I’ve lost, and I didn’t know if this would relate to you,’” Paisley told the crowd.
He recalled that Parton immediately responded, saying, “Yes, let me sing on that,” and went on to record her part.
Paisley became visibly emotional while remembering his late collaborator, prompting loud cheers from the audience.
“I never thought it would be about her, but it is,” Paisley said of their duet. “It’s everything she believed, and we will always love you, Dolly.”