Country music star breaks silence after controversial Grand Ole Opry show

Elle King is finally speaking out about her controversial performance at the Grand Ole Opry in January.

The 34-year-old star appeared on stage as the Opry celebrated Dolly Parton’s birthday and told fans she was “hammered.” She then proceeded to butcher a few songs.

• WANT MORE NEWS ON COUNTRY MUSIC? CLICK HERE.

One of those songs was Parton’s “Marry Me,” and fans apparently had good reason to be unhappy.

According to reports, she admitted during the performance that she didn’t know the lyrics to the song and told fans, “Don’t tell Dolly because it’s her birthday.”

She allegedly followed that up by saying, “I’m not even going to (expletive) lie…you bought tickets for this (expletive), you’re not getting your money back.”

The Opry apologized and King canceled a handful of shows.

She’s back on stage now and during a recent appearance on Chelsea Handler’s podcast, she discussed the incident.

“So, I said a big no, no” she told Handler. “Not only did I swear on stage, I hammered the Grand Ole Opry, but it was Dolly Parton’s birthday, and the Opry was doing a tribute to Dolly Parton,” she said. “I didn’t talk about it because, first of all, I needed to relax. It was a big deal.

“I had experienced something very heavy and traumatic in my life at that time, and that day was a very big day to deal with what I was going through, and I’m still going through it, and I’m suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder,” she added.

King said she was not originally supposed to perform, but another singer withdrew and she was asked to replace him.

“I’m taking one dose too many and I’m just not there in my body,” she said. “I’m not there. I don’t remember. I know now what I said. I said, ‘My name is Elle King and I’m (expletive) hammered.’ the curtain on me. I just get flashes of it. I was totally, 100 percent dissociated. I just walked into the locker room, me on the floor sobbing: “What did I do. ?And then the next day, it was like everywhere.

“Everywhere.”

King said she was “mortified” and wrote Parton a letter of apology, then called her.

She said Parton is “literally proof that angels exist.”

“She just gave me some really kind words and said, ‘Well, Dolly’s not made for you, why should the world be?'” she said.

“It’s something I’ll never forget,” she added. “Because I wanted to (expletive) die.”