Dolly Parton Accepts Lifetime Achievement Award in Heartfelt Video Recorded Before Her Death

Though she is known as a country music icon, Dolly Parton was a central presence at the 2026 Americana Awards and Honors Wednesday at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Parton, who died on Aug. 25, received the Lifetime Achievement Award via a pre-taped video message, and there were few dry eyes in the house as Parton’s face filled the screen after a heartfelt introduction from Emmylou Harris.

“It’s Dolly. I’m honored to be receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Americana Music Association,” began the beloved icon in the video. “Roots music, or what is now called Americana music, is what I grew up playing back in the Smoky Mountains,” Parton said. “It’s that same music that drew me back to East Tennessee in 1997 to write and record my album, Hungry Again . And that project really opened the door to a series of bluegrass and acoustic albums that changed the course of my career in so many ways.”

Parton continued, “Now, new fans discovered these albums, new Americana music communities embraced them, and now looking back at it all, I see this era of my career as a musical renaissance of sorts. I want to thank everyone at the AMA for recognizing me with this award.”