Dolly Parton tribute receives an unexpected surprise

A flood of tribute followed after the passing of country icon Dolly Parton, but among them was a surprise homage, unexpected by many.

It was when the late singer's niece, Jada Star, took to the stage set at the Grand Ole Opry.

Before wowing the crowd, she addressed the audience and thanked them for their messages and tributes.

“I just wanted to say that my family and I have all received your messages, and we’ve seen your tributes,” she shared.

“We want you to know how much it means to us.”

Star continued, 'I had someone say to me today, "I just want to thank you, family, for sharing her with us."'

"But I want you guys to know truly we couldn’t share Dolly with you any more than you could share the sun or the moon with somebody,” Parton's niece said.

“We were lucky enough that we got to call her aunt or sister or a cousin, but she was y’all’s too."

"She opened herself up to you, and so you’re ours as well," Star added.

However, she also noted that “the weight of grief is lighter when we can bear it together".

But with the outpouring support in the wake of Parton's death, Star said, “You guys have helped us bear ours."

She added, "We hope so much to help you bear yours because nothing that she did is over."

“People aren’t done being nice. We are so sad, but it’s a little scary now because now she’s untethered," Star said, adding, "She is unbound and she’s got her wings."

"Boy, she’s going to sneak up on you when you don’t expect it," she concluded.