Willie Nelson discusses Dolly Parton’s passing

Willie Nelson stated in a recent interview that he was unaware of the severity of Dolly Parton’s illness prior to her death last month. Speaking with Anderson Cooper ahead of Farm Aid 2026, Nelson noted that during their last interview, Parton appeared to be fine.

Nelson reflected on their long history of musical collaborations, including their 1982 duet ‘Everything’s Beautiful (In Its Own Way)’ and various other recordings. He also shared that he recently recorded his own version of one of Parton’s classic hits during a studio session.