Brandi Carlile Details Life-Changing First Meeting With Dolly Parton

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The singer-songwriter reflects on Parton's legacy and a personal moment she calls transformative.

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Brandi Carlile appeared on TODAY to share memories of Dolly Parton , describing the first time she met the country music legend exactly ten years ago at one of Parton's concerts. Carlile recounted a moment she says altered the course of her life, telling TODAY, "She took my face in her hands and prayed with me, and it was like, transformative."

Carlile, a singer-songwriter who has spoken publicly about her close friendship with Parton, used the appearance to reflect on Parton's life and legacy following her death. She described the encounter a decade ago as the beginning of a relationship that stayed with her.

During the segment, Carlile walked through her recollection of that first meeting in detail, framing it as a defining experience rather than a passing celebrity encounter. The prayer, as she described it, carried a weight that extended beyond the moment itself.

Carlile's tribute joins a wave of recent remembrances of Parton across television, including a segment in which Miley Cyrus recalled her final conversation with Parton on the same program.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Brandi-Carlile-Recalls-Dolly-Parton-Praying-With-Her-the-Moment-They-First-Met-20260925)._