Dolly Parton posthumously accepts award at Americana Music Honours and Awards

Dolly Parton posthumously accepted the lifetime achievement award at the Americana Music Honours Awards in a video shown during the awards ceremony.

The '9 to 5' singer passed away in August 2026. The award was originally planned to be accepted in absentia, but was instead accepted posthumously.

Parton's acceptance speech was introduced by Emmylou Harris, and was followed by a tribute performance by Brandi Carlile, and the band I'm With Her. They performed the late singer's autobiographical song 'Coat of Many Colors.'

The Tennesse singer expressed her thanks for the award in her acceptance video.

"Well, hey, it’s Dolly, and I am so honored to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Americana Music Association. I mean, roots music, or what is now called Americana music, is what I grew up playing back in the Smoky Mountains. It’s that same music that drew me back to East Tennessee back 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. 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."

She concluded the video with a heartfelt statement.

"And I want to thank everybody at the AMA for recognizing me with this award. It’s a great honor, truly. And just know that I will always love you."

The singer is best-known for her hit singles 'Jolene', '9 to 5', and 'I Will Always Love You.' She also had a her prolific acting career, including the 1980 movie 9 to 5, where she starred alongside Jane Fonda.

Parton is also recognised for her philanthropic work, with her Imagination Library supplying 300 million free books to children all across the world, including Ireland.

She made a 1 million dollar donation to the Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation in 2020, which contributed to the creation of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccination.