Hollywood crews had already planned repairs for cracks in the star when someone scratched Parton’s name, just days after tributes followed her death at 80.
The Birmingham artist, also known as Sebastian Kole, moved judges and the studio crowd with a performance that could send him into the semifinals.
The 77-year-old performer was seen taking a chair onstage during All Night Long, days after another show ended early in Minnesota.
The singer was treated for dehydration after Saturday’s show and is now expected to leave the hospital midweek.
The 21-year-old musician’s court-ordered defense switch came at a hearing in Los Angeles as prosecutors prepare for a case that could bring life without parole or death.
The 21-year-old musician, charged in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, will now be represented by the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office.
The 21-year-old singer pleaded not guilty again, and the judge kept the case on track for an October court date.
The country icon’s life stretched from a one-room East Tennessee home to worldwide stardom, with songs, films and philanthropy that defined generations.
Forbes pegs Parton’s fortune at $450 million, with Dollywood and long-running song rights helping support a life built around giving.
The singer and multi-instrumentalist has turned folk history, performance and group singing into tools for education and connection in Tulsa.