Grand Ole Opry apologizes after Elle King curses through Dolly Parton tribute
By Marianne Garvey, CNN
(CNN) — The Grand Ole Opry is responding after singer Elle King cursed during a Dolly Parton birthday tribute at the venue.
King was among several artists who took the stage in Nashville on Friday to perform some of Parton’s hits.
The singer, behind such hits as “Ex’s & Oh’s,” struggled to remember the words to Parton’s classic, “Marry Me.”
“Don’t tell Dolly cause’ it’s her birthday,” King sang in substitute for the lyrics at one point.
“Y’all bought tickets to this s—?” King said after she finished the song, according to videos shared on social media. “My name is Elle King and I’m f—ing hammered.”
Parton was not in attendance.
“We deeply regret and apologize for the language that was used during last night’s second Opry performance,” the Opry’s account on X (formerly Twitter) posted over the weekend.
The statement was in response to a commenter who wrote, “Dolly Parton would’ve been mortified. For our first time at the Opry, it was a shame we all had to witness that.”
King took things further when she yelled at the crowd, “You ain’t getting your money back.”
King, who is the daughter of “Saturday Night Live” alum Rob Schneider and London King, has not commented on her performance, nor has Parton.
CNN has reached out to representatives for King for comment.
Some Parton fans were supportive of King, with one write on X, “Dislike seeing people dump on her today.”
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