Kelly Clarkson & Dolly Parton Harmonize Impromptu Performance Of ‘I Will Always Love You’: Watch

Dolly Parton and Kelly Clarkson gave a powerhouse impromptu show of Dolly’s iconic emotion ballad “I Will Always Love You” during the Thursday, Dec. 1 occurrence of The Kelly Clarkson Show! In the clip, which you tin presumption below, the state legend, 76, explained however she’d archetypal heard Whitney Houston‘s mentation of the opus portion listening to the vigor successful her car. “I was conscionable driving along, I had the vigor connected and I heard this…” she said. “When I heard the archetypal ‘If I…’ I conscionable freaked out. I had to propulsion implicit to the broadside due to the fact that I honestly thought that I was gonna wreck. It was the astir overwhelming feeling and you cognize however large that was.”

Dolly past recalled erstwhile Kelly performed the opus astatine the ACM Awards backmost successful March. “I’ve been meaning to archer you, that full crowd, Whitney, she would’ve been truthful arrogant of you,” Dolly said. “It was incredible.” The proposition was made that the 2 women should “sing a small together,” which Kelly, 40, hilariously nixed. “I volition cry,” she joked.

However, Dolly talked the erstwhile American Idol prima into harmonizing a fewer bars for the unrecorded assemblage connected The Kelly Clarkson Show, and the results were spine tingling. “How astir if I sing a small spot of it, and you sing harmony with me,” Dolly suggested. The assemblage erupted into applause, and Kelly quipped, “it’s the small things” aft the gorgeous sit-down performance.

The dynamic duo teased their speech via a Nov. 30 preview clip shared online. The video, seen below, showed Dolly, 76, and the American Idol alum, 40, moving their vocal magic arsenic they tweaked their rendition of the deed opus “9 to 5” with what seemed to beryllium flawless and agreeable communication. More behind-the-scenes footage showed Dolly praising the show’s unit for their hard work. “I emotion Kelly. I emotion your show,” she told Jason Halbert, the show’s euphony director. “Y’all bash a large job.” Another amusive look astatine the collaboration showed Kelly moving astir the signifier successful excitement aft Dolly belted retired immoderate notes.

Kelly and Dolly person been adjacent for years, and Kelly adjacent honored Dolly and her philharmonic achievements astatine the 2022 Academy of Country Music Awards successful March by delivering a almighty rendition of the classical song, “I Will Always Love You”, famously covered by the precocious Whitney for the 1992 movie The Bodyguard. After the performance, Dolly gracefully strolled connected signifier and thanked Kelly for her work. “I was backstage trying not to outcry my mendacious eyelashes disconnected — slinging snot successful each absorption and tears,” she gushed to Kelly. “I cognize that Whitney is smiling down connected america tonight, truthful convey you precise overmuch — she would beryllium arrogant of that.”

The philharmonic superstars teamed up earlier this twelvemonth and released an authoritative workplace signaling of the song, which debuted successful the documentary Still Working 9 to 5. Dolly appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show virtually to sermon her enthusiasm for the caller rendition of the recognizable tune. “You did a large occupation connected that, too. I emotion however you took that and conscionable made it your ain and I got a accidental to sing inheritance for a change,” she said to Kelly. “But I’m truly arrogant of that rendition of it and I deliberation hopefully it’ll bash good for us!”

(Photo: John Locher/AP/Shutterstock) Dolly Parton and Kelly Clarkson hug astatine the 2022 ACM Awards

In summation to her flawless performance, Kelly has plentifulness to beryllium thankful for this vacation season. Last month, her Christmas song “When Christmas Comes Around…” was nominated for a Grammy. Expressing her gratitude via a station connected Instagram, Kelly wrote, “What an unthinkable radical of artists to beryllium nominated alongside arsenic well! Thank you to each of those who enactment each ounce of time, energy, and endowment into bringing this medium to life! I couldn’t person done it without y’all! Thank you truthful overmuch @recordingacademy for this nomination, and convey you @AtlanticRecords for ever supporting and believing successful me!”

Meanwhile, Dolly is gearing up to big NBC and Miley Cyrus‘ televised New Year’s Eve bash, Miley’s New Year’s Eve.