Dolly Parton wants fans to 'forgive and forget' Elle King's controversial Grand Ole Opry tribute

Of course Dolly Parton doesn't hold a grudge.

The legendary singer is speaking out after a recent drunken performance by Elle King at The Grand Ole Opry that was meant to honour Parton.

King told the crowd she was "hammered" and forgot the lyrics to Parton's Marry Me during a tribute celebration for Parton's 78th birthday in Nashville in January.

Watch the video above.

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"Elle is really a great artist," Parton has since told Extra. "She's a great girl, and she's been going through hard things lately."

"She just had a little too much to drink, so let's just forgive that and forget it and move on, 'cause she felt worse than anyone ever could," Parton added.

At the January 19 concert, King told the crowd, "I don't know the lyrics to these things in this f---ing town. Don't tell Dolly 'cause it's her birthday."

The Grand Ole Opry responded to the crowd's complaints with a message on X, reading they "regret and apologise for the language that was used during last night's second Opry performance."

In a clip captured by one concertgoer, King, who is the daughter of actor Rob Schneider, appeared drunk while paying tribute to Parton at the Grand Ole Opry.

In the middle of performing Parton's hit Marry Hit, King, 34, paused to tell the crowd she was intoxicated before continuing to give a slurred speech while swearing excessively.

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"I'm not even gonna f---ing lie, y'all bought tickets for this s---?", she said in the clips.

"You ain't getting your money back. I'll tell you one thing more. Hi, my name is Elle King and I'm f---ing hammered.'"

The singer, who is best known for her hit track Ex's and Oh's then admitted she didn't know the lyrics to Parton's song.

"Don't tell Dolly 'cause it's her birthday," King told the crowd.

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The clip received criticism from fans who called out the performance as disrespectful.

"It was tragic to witness this! I'm glad they pulled the curtain on her. Huge disrespect to Dolly and Ryman," one person wrote.

"The way that I am absolutely cringing from this… how mortifying to see this played back," another wrote.

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"There is a time and a place for drunken shenanigans but this aint it," a third wrote.

While Parton wasn't in attendance for the tribute, King was slammed by the country icon's younger sister, Stella Parton.

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In an initial statement to X on January 23, Stella labelled King a "hillbilly" but also surprisingly came to her defence by calling out the "double standard" female singers face following the online backlash.

"...It wouldn't be the first time a Hillbilly went on the stage of the Opry 'hammered' but I guess it's OK if you're a male but good lord don't ever let a girl behave that way folks!"

However, the younger Parton sister criticised King for not knowing the lyrics while performing a birthday tribute.

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"To any lil ego thinking they can learn the lyrics correctly with a half assed listen to one of Dolly's song. Surprise! You'll end up looking as silly as that lil girl," she wrote.

Stella followed up her initial Tweet the next day by calling King a "lil spoiled brat" and adding "Taylor Swift wouldn't" behave the same way.

"I'm still stewing and thinking bout how any lil spoiled brat with an opportunity to sing on the Opry to pay tribute to a legendary songwriter like Dolly Parton would just piss on the star circle on the stage," she said.

King has not publicly commented on the controversy.