Brad Paisley gave fans one of the most emotional tributes yet to Dolly Parton, breaking into their 2005 duet "When I Get Where I'm Going" at his first concert since her passing.
Performing at the Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on Aug. 27, Paisley worked through 20 of his hits before quietly picking at his guitar, unannounced. As the familiar opening notes of "When I Get Where I'm Going" rang out, the crowd's mood shifted instantly. Paisley sang the contemporary Christian-tinged ballad solo, without Parton's harmony, in a performance he doesn't normally include in his set list.
The song, which reflects on death, heaven, and reunion with loved ones, has carried deep personal meaning for Paisley since he first recorded it. He wrote afterward that he had lost his aunt to cancer around the time of the original recording, and Parton had immediately agreed to lend her voice to the track. Following the performance, he told the crowd, "I never thought it would be about her, but it is, it's everything she believed."
In a separate tribute posted to social media, Paisley wrote, "I never imagined this day would come. Getting to know Dolly was life changing, but not just for me. For everyone. She seemed immortal. And in the spirit of what we sang together on this song, I believe she is." He closed with, "It won't be the same down here without you Dolly. But what a legacy of goodness and art you leave for all of us."
"When I Get Where I'm Going" became Parton's final No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, and won Vocal Event of the Year at both the CMA and ACM Awards.
