Twain shared a clip of the duo’s 2003 performance on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ amid Parton’s death at 80 on Tuesday, Aug. 25
Credit: Scott Suchman/WireImage
NEED TO KNOW
- Shania Twain shared a 2003 duet with Dolly Parton on The Oprah Winfrey Show as a tribute to her “hero” after Parton’s death at 80 on Aug. 25
- Twain called performing with Parton a “lifelong dream” and praised her as a mentor and songwriting inspiration
- Parton’s death was announced after a “brief battle with cancer,” and her legacy includes numerous philanthropic and artistic achievements
Shania Twain shared a clip of one of her performances alongside her “hero” Dolly Parton after the country icon’s death at 80.
The clip, which Twain published on her Instagram page on Tuesday, Aug. 25, was an excerpt from a 2003 appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Parton joined Twain, 60, to perform the country legend’s 1971 song “Coat of Many Colors,” which detailed the joys and hardships of Parton’s childhood in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, and how she came to appreciate how her upbringing shaped her.
Twain wore an orange shirt paired with jeans and a denim jacket. Parton later took the stage in a coordinating vibrant orange ensemble.
After Winfrey, 72, hands the introduction over to Twain, the country star called singing with the late Parton a “lifelong dream.”
“What more can I say that this is my hero, musical and personal hero of all time, beautiful person inside and out, and the person that I always wanted to grow up to be,” Twain said. “Please, everybody, Dolly!”
The country duo then sang “Coat of Many Colors” as the audience erupted in cheers.
“Dolly was pure light sent from heaven,” the “You’re Still The One” singer wrote in her caption. “My mentor is gone. My songwriting teacher and hero of grace and humility.”
“There is a hole in my heart but the joy of just the thought of her smile will continue to fill me with inspiration for as long as I live,” Twain continued. “I will cherish this moment performing Coat Of Many Colors with Dolly forever. Goodbye Dolly. Rest in peace, beautiful angel.”
Credit: Harpo Productions/The Oprah Winfrey Show
Twain also performed “Coat of Many Colors” in tribute to Parton at the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony in 2006 when Parton was awarded the honor.
Parton’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, announced his aunt’s death in an Instagram video on Aug. 25, months after she canceled her 2025 residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas due to “health challenges.”
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Parton’s team later announced in a statement that her death came shortly after she was diagnosed with cancer.
“Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact,” the statement read in part. “After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones.”
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In a November 2025 PEOPLE cover story, Parton reflected on approaching 80 and her hopes for the remainder of her life and career, including her dedication to philanthropy, namely through her Imagination Library.
“I’m at that point in my life where I just want to be able to do good things that can be carried on,” Parton told PEOPLE at the time. “I’m proud of my legacy so far, and I hope to just continue to do things that might be of use to other people.”
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