Kacey Musgraves Honors Dolly Parton With 'Rainbow' and 'Here You Come Again' in Boston

Kacey Musgraves turned her Friday night concert at Boston's TD Garden into a memorial for Dolly Parton, dedicating a two-song stretch of her set to the country legend who died on Aug. 25 at age 80 after a brief battle with cancer. Musgraves brought back her Golden Hour ballad "Rainbow" for the first time on the Middle of Nowhere Tour, then followed it with a cover of Parton's 1977 crossover hit "Here You Come Again," according to Rolling Stone, Billboard, and Consequence.

Before "Rainbow," Musgraves told the crowd that Parton was the inspiration behind the song. "Let's all sing this together for her memory," she said, as photos of Parton appeared on the screen behind her. She also spoke about Parton's humanitarian legacy, saying, "She's woven into the fabric of who we've always been, so it just feels extra sad."

The song pairing carried its own history. At the 2019 Grammy Awards, Musgraves performed "Rainbow" during the ceremony, then joined Parton and Katy Perry for "Here You Come Again" as part of an all-star tribute. Musgraves has also covered "Here You Come Again" solo in concerts dating back to 2014, and she performed it with Parton at the MusiCares Person of the Year gala that same year.

Parton's death has prompted tributes from across music, including Maisie Peters covering "Here You Come Again" at Reading Festival, Jack White performing "Jolene" in London, Orville Peck covering "I Will Always Love You," and the King's Guard playing "9 to 5" outside Buckingham Palace. Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift, Eminem, and Elton John were among those who shared messages honoring Parton's musical influence and philanthropy.

Musgraves is on tour in support of her seventh studio album, Middle of Nowhere, released in May via Lost Highway Records. The Boston show came one week after the tour kicked off in Chicago, where she made headlines for hanging from giant disco balls during "Rhinestoned." The tour continues with two nights at Madison Square Garden beginning Aug. 31.