Dolly, who has always considered Porter her musical mentor, saw him the afternoon that he died. “I went over on Sunday afternoon and spent his last few hours with Porter and his family, so I was able to say goodbye,” Dolly recalled. “It felt good that I had the opportunity to say goodbye properly.”

Marty Stuart, who produced Porter’s last album, Wagonmaster, released this past year, said that, “Losing Porter is going to take a whole lot of getting used to, as he’s been a part of my life for so long. He was a masterful showman who understood the art of the final act. He left the world on top.” Patty Loveless thought of Porter as part of her family. “He encouraged me and helped me to fulfill my dreams and was truly an inspiration,” Patty said. “This is a great loss for country music and the Grand Ole Opry,” said Dierks Bentley, one of the most recent members of the Opry cast. “I feel blessed for the time I did have with him.”