Country music legend Dolly Parton was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on January 4, 1969. This prestigious honor came shortly after she released three successful albums in 1968. Parton's second solo album, 'Just Because I'm a Woman,' as well as two duet albums with Porter Wagoner, 'Just Between You and Me' and 'Just the Two of Us,' all enjoyed commercial success. The duet albums produced three Top 10 country chart hits, while the title track of her solo album reached the Top 20. Parton had always dreamed of performing at the Opry, considering it sacred like a church. She compared it to the song "New York, New York," stating that if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.
Interestingly, Parton had previously appeared on the Opry stage in 1959 as a guest. At that time, Johnny Cash introduced the teenager and she performed George Jones' "You Gotta Be My Baby" with resounding success. As she celebrated her half-century membership milestone at the Grand Ole Opry in 2019, a series of events were planned. These included performances of Parton's No. 1 hits by other artists, a concert celebrating her roots in bluegrass and Americana, and two performances by Parton herself.