Elle King Says She Wasn't Even Supposed To Headline Dolly Parton Tribute
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Elle King Says She Wasn't Even Supposed To Headline Dolly Parton Tribute, Explains On Stage Meltdown

Elle King has had a rough couple of months since she botched that Dolly Parton tribute at the Grand Ole Opry. The singer was admittedly intoxicated and stumbled through the songs. Well, according to King, she wasn't even supposed to headline the show. She only found out about three hours before.

In the Dear Chelsea podcast (via People), King explained that another artist dropped out of singing at the last minute. "This other singer who's supposed to be the headliner backed out like three hours before," King said. Unfortunately, King took too much of the liquor courage and became drunk. "I take one shot too many and I'm just not there in my body. I'm not there. I don't remember it," she said. "I said, 'I'm Elle King. And I'm f---ing hammered.' I got the curtain dropped on me."

The singer experienced fragmented memories, saying, I just get like flashes of this. I was totally, 100% disassociated. I just cut to the dressing room, me on the floor just sobbing, 'What have I done?' And then the next day it was like everywhere. Everywhere."

Elle King Said She Apologized To Dolly Parton

"So I did a big no, no. I not only cussed onstage, hammered at the Grand Ole Opry, but it was Dolly Parton's birthday and the Opry was doing a Dolly Parton tribute," King said. "I haven't spoken about it because, one, I had to just chill. It was a big deal."

However, King personally wrote apologies to both Parton and the Grand Ole Opry in the days after the incident. She also called Parton asking for forgiveness as well. King said, "She just gave me really kind words and told me, 'Well, Dolly's not mad at you, why should the world be?' [She] made me laugh. That's the kindness from women," King added. "That's the stuff that I've received that I'll never forget, ever, because I wanted to f---ing die."

However, King also wanted to apologize to fans and those in attendance. She said that she doesn't have any excuses about what happened.

"Regardless of what I was doing in my life and what was happening to me — that I don't feel like I owe to anybody in the f---ing world to try and explain — I also don't think that it does excuse the fact that maybe I shouldn't have f---ing been drinking," King continued.

"This is like a sacred stage and I f---ed up," she continued. "For all the people who are asking for an apology from me, hey, if you were there that night and I didn't get a chance to say I'm sorry to you, I apologize."