Kacey Musgraves paid tribute to Dolly Parton during her “Middle of Nowhere Tour” stop in Boston on Friday night, dedicating a two-song stretch of the set to the late great American country icon.
During the show at TD Garden, Musgraves added “Rainbow” to the tour setlist and dedicated the Golden Hour ballad to Parton, accompanied by a slideshow on the screens above her. She then followed it with a cover of Parton’s 1977 crossover hit “Here You Come Again,” as the crowd joined in with loving harmonization.
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Before “Rainbow,” Musgraves referenced the “wise person” behind the song’s central idea – “If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain” – revealing she was talking about Parton. She also reflected on how many of the remembrances that have followed Parton’s death have focused not only on her music, but on her generosity and humanitarian work.
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The song pairing carried some history of its own. At the 2019 Grammy Awards, Musgraves performed “Rainbow” during the ceremony before later joining Parton and Katy Perry for “Here You Come Again” as part of an all-star tribute to the country legend. Seven years later, Musgraves returned to both songs with a reverent cadence that lifted their emotional weight well over her head.
Musgraves was among the many artists who mourned Parton following her death on August 25th at age 80, writing simply, “This really hurts,” before sharing additional memories of the singer on social media. Parton’s death has prompted tributes from across music, including Reba McEntire, Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, Jack White, Harry Styles and Ella Langley who covered “Jolene” during her Friday night concert in Auburn.
The Boston concert comes one week after Musgraves kicked off the “Middle of Nowhere Tour” in Chicago, where she made headlines for hanging from a pair of giant disco balls during “Rhinestoned.” The tour continues with two nights at Madison Square Garden beginning August 31st. Look for deals and sold-out tickets via Vivid Seats, where fans can save $20 off their first order of $200 or more by using promo code CONSEQUENCE20 at checkout.
Watch fan-shot footage of Musgraves’ tribute to Parton below.
for Dolly ♡ pic.twitter.com/eb1EKmQ3pF
— ★ Kacey Musgraves HQ ★ (@MusgravesHQ) August 29, 2026
