Country music legend Dolly Parton has spoken out in defense of singer Elle King following her drunken performance at the Grand Ole Opry last month. In an interview with Extra, Parton described King as a "great girl" who has been going through some difficult times. Parton urged people to forgive and forget King's behavior, as she felt worse about it than anyone else. During the performance, King confessed to being drunk and forgot the lyrics to Parton's song "Marry Me." She also used profanity and made derogatory remarks about the audience. The incident upset many fans, who took to social media to express their disappointment.

The Grand Ole Opry responded to the backlash, apologizing for the language used during King's performance. Although King and Parton stayed silent about the incident at the time, Parton's sister Stella referred to King as a "hillbilly." Shortly after the incident, King rescheduled her upcoming shows without giving further details on the matter.