In 2003, Dolly Parton and Shania Twain graced the stage of the Oprah Winfrey Show. It was a moment that marked a dream come true for the Canadian singer-songwriter from Timmins, Ontario.
Like Parton, Twain began singing in bars at a young age and championed
female empowerment while navigating a heavily male-dominated music industry. “What more can I say than that this is my hero, musical, and personal hero of all time. Beautiful person inside and out, and the person that I always wanted to grow up to be,” Twain said as Parton joined her onstage in a glittering sunset dress. The two launched into an unforgettable duet of Parton’s 1971 hit, “Coat of Many Colors.”
On Tuesday, Twain looked back at that moment in a social media post following Parton’s death at 80. In a tribute posted alongside a clip from the 2003 performance, Twain wrote: “Dolly was pure light sent from heaven. My mentor is gone. My songwriting teacher and hero of grace and humility. There is a hole in my heart but the joy of just the thought of her smile will continue to fill me with inspiration for as long as I live.”
The special episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show celebrated Parton and along with Twain at the time, also featured performances from Melissa Etheridge and Alison Krauss — all of whom featured on the Just Because I’m a Woman LP released that year. The album paired the songwriter’s tunes with some of the female artists who had been influenced by her and also included appearances from Sinead O’Connor, Shelby Lynne, Norah Jones, Mindy Smith and more.
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