Dolly Parton on Joey Feek's Death: "The Lord Needed Her More than We Did."

Dolly Parton has recently released her semi-auobiorgaphical inspirational TV movie "Coat of Many Colors."  And when the superstar heard of Joey Feek's death, she wasted no time in airing her condolences.  Joey Feek, one half of the Christian country duo Joey + Rory Feek. passed away last Friday (March 4) after a battle with terminal cancer. 

Parton says she was touched to hear Feek was a fan and was beyond saddened to hear the news.  "When I heard she had passed it really hit me like a relative, it really made my heart sad," Parton said. "I was just so sorry that she had to be taken but I guess the Lord needed her more than we did." 

In a blog post announcing Joey's passing, Joey + Rory's Rory Feek shared a video of his reacting wife to a video Parton had made her months earlier. Parton recognized that she heard her gesture received a positive reaction from Feek and added that she had thought about visiting, but it didn't work out.

"She's watching, she's up there and we love her," Parton said on Monday after talking about how she admired how Rory and his family handled the illness, and eventual death, of Joey Feek.

A few weeks ago, Joey+Rory garnered the No. 1 position on Billboard's Christian and Country Music charts, according to Nielsen Soundscan, with their all-new recording, Hymns That Are Important To Us (Gaither Music Group). The 13-song recording, produced by Rory and Joe West (except "When I'm Gone," which was produced by Gary Paczosa), also topped the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Music Video chart and on the Christian Video chart.  In addition, the audio recording took the No. 4 spot on this week's Billboard Top 200 chart. 

Rory stated, "When the label called to give us the news I immediately took the phone in to Joey.  This recording was 'hers' from the beginning.  This is one that she has always wanted to make, and she's worked so hard to make it happen, in spite of the difficult circumstances she is facing.  As I congratulated her, she responded through tears, 'No, Honey, this is God's record....'" 

 

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