Harry Styles Honors Dolly Parton at Madison Square Garden

Harry Styles opened his 30-show residency at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday by honoring the late Dolly Parton. During the performance, Styles played Parton’s original 1974 recording of “I Will Always Love You” over the arena speakers. He played two verses and choruses of the song, inviting the sold-out crowd to sing along to the first chorus before the track faded out and transitioned into his solo single, “Sign Of The Times.”

The British pop artist paused the show to thank his band and the musicians who influenced his career, placing Parton high on that list. "Dolly, thank you so much," Styles said, adding, "We love you." The tribute marked a departure from his standard setlist. Apart from a special performance with an orchestra in London, Styles had played a consistent set since his “Together, Together” tour opened in Amsterdam nearly three months ago.

New York serves as the only United States stop on the current tour. Before arriving at the storied arena for this unprecedented stretch of 30 consecutive shows, Styles completed 31 dates across July and August. These previous performances took place in Amsterdam, London, São Paulo, and Mexico City. Styles revamped his setlist specifically for the start of the New York residency.

Parton passed away on Tuesday, August 25, at the age of 80. Recognized as Billboard’s Top Country Artist of All Time, she achieved 25 No. 1 hits on the Hot Country Songs chart—the most of any woman—and 49 top 10 entries on the Country Albums chart. She was an inductee of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Beyond her catalog of more than 3,000 songs, the Tennessee native was known for her business acumen and philanthropy. She co-owned the Dollywood theme park in her hometown of Pigeon Forge and operated the Imagination Library, a program that mails free books to children. Parton also co-owned Sandollar Productions, which produced titles including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sabrina, and Father of the Bride.