Stevie Nicks Remembers ‘Best Week Ever’ Recording With Dolly Parton Before Her Death

Stevie Nicks shared an Instagram tribute to Dolly Parton on Wednesday, August 27, 2026, two days after Parton’s death. Nicks, 78, used the post to look back on a week she spent with Parton in Nashville recording a song for Parton’s 2023 album, “Rockstar.”

Dolly Parton died on August 25, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee, at age 80 following a brief battle with cancer. Nicks marked the loss with a photo of herself and Parton together and a handwritten note describing their time in the studio.

• Parton died August 25, 2026, in Nashville at age 80.
• Nicks posted her tribute on Instagram on August 27, 2026.
• The pair recorded “What Has Rock and Roll Ever Done For You” together for Parton’s “Rockstar” album, released November 17, 2023.
• Nicks had demoed but never released her own version of the song for her 1985 solo album “Rock a Little.”

What Stevie Nicks Said About Recording With Dolly Parton

In her caption, Nicks wrote, “I spent a week with Dolly in Nashville to record one of my songs with her for her ‘Rock Star’ album,” adding that it was the “best week ever.” She described the experience as something closer to a lesson than a typical studio session.

“A week with Dolly was like a master class for me,” Nicks wrote. “I tried to be a sponge and learn everything I could learn from her in a very few days. Learning from her was easy because she was a really good teacher. I think she saw me as a really good student; I just tried to listen.”

Nicks also recalled watching Parton push into rock music firsthand during their time together. “She said she could become a rock star, and I watched her do it,” Nicks wrote, noting that Parton was still collecting more rock and roll songs she hoped to record while the two were working together.

The Story Behind ‘What Has Rock and Roll Ever Done For You’

Nicks had originally demoed “What Has Rock and Roll Ever Done For You” for her own 1985 album “Rock a Little,” but the song never made that record. The track eventually found a home years later on Parton’s “Rockstar,” recorded as a duet between the two singers.

In a 2023 interview with USA Today, Parton called the song “a cute little song” and described working with Nicks as “fun” when asked about her favorite moments from making the album.

Dolly Parton’s ‘Rockstar’ Album

“Rockstar” paired Parton with a wide range of musicians beyond Nicks, including Paul McCartney, Elton John, Miley Cyrus, Sting, Ann Wilson, Debbie Harry, Pink, Brandi Carlile, Steven Tyler, John Fogerty, Nikki Sixx, John 5, Linda Perry and the late Prince. The album topped the US Top Country Albums, US Top Rock Albums, UK Americana Albums and Swiss albums charts, and it reached No. 3 on the US Billboard 200.

Stevie Nicks’ Handwritten Poem for Dolly Parton

Nicks closed her tribute with a handwritten poem for Parton. It reads in part: “Dolly, Dolly, Dolly, Rock and Roll & Country, Carry all those songs with you, Right up to heaven, Sing your songs to all those you meet… Dolly, how we’ll miss you, There’ll never be another you, And I will always love you. Love Love Love, Stevie.”

More Info

• Stevie Nicks reflects on her ‘week with Dolly Parton’ as they recorded what would be the country star’s final album | Daily Mail Showbiz
• Stevie Nicks Remembers Spending the “Best Week Ever” With Dolly Parton: “It Was Like a Master Class” | American Songwriter
• "She said she could become a rock star – and I watched her do it." Stevie Nicks pays tribute to Dolly Parton, and recalls "best week ever" recording with her in Nashville | Louder / Classic Rock
• Stevie Nicks recalls ‘best week ever’ with Dolly Parton | sfchronicle.com
• Stevie Nicks Shares Emotional Dolly Parton Tribute: ‘There’ll Never Be Another You’ | entertainmentnow.com
• Stevie Nicks Honors Dolly Parton With a Striking ‘Master Class’ Memory | yahoo.com
• Stevie Nicks Recalls ‘Best Week Ever’ Making Music with Dolly Parton | themix.net
• Stevie Nicks recalls ‘the best’ time with late Dolly Parton in sweet tribute | thenews.com.pk