Dolly Parton on Jennifer Hudson's Tribute to Whitney

Dolly Parton says she was in tears while watching Jennifer Hudson sing "I Will Always Love You" as a tribute to the late Whitney Houston on the Grammy Awards last night.

Parton wrote and sang the original country version of the song, which would become the biggest hit of Houston's career when she recorded it for the soundtrack of her 1992 film The Bodyguard. Hudson sang an emotional version of the ballad as a tribute to Houston, who died Saturday in Los Angeles.

Parton's full statement: "I was brought to tears again last night, as I'm sure many were, when Jennifer Hudson sang 'I Will Always Love You' on the Grammys in memory of Whitney. Like everybody else, I am still in shock. But I know that Whitney will live forever in all the great music that she left behind. I will always have a very special piece of her in the song we shared together and had the good fortune to share with the world. Rest in peace, Whitney. Again, we will always love you."

Watch Hudson's performance below.