Dolly Parton fans left ‘in tears’ as Kacey Musgraves delivers ‘beautiful’ MTV VMAs tribute to music legend

Ms Musgraves had pre-recorded the tribute as she was performing at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on the same night as part of her Middle of Nowhere tour.

The tribute opened with archival footage of Ms Parton addressing a concert audience, delivering characteristically witty advice.

|

MTV

“Don’t criticise your wife’s judgment. You just remember who she married,” she quipped, before adding more seriously that she hoped life would treat everyone “real kind.”

Ms Parton then launched into the opening chorus of the song, with Ms Musgraves harmonising on the final lines before taking over entirely, accompanied solely by piano.

Glittering butterfly imagery floated across the screen as Musgraves sang, an image synonymous with Ms Parton.

The segment concluded with Ms Parton’s image reappearing. “I’ll always love you,” she said before offering a gentle wave and a final “Bye-bye!”

|

MTV

Ms Musgraves appeared visibly emotional as the number drew to a close.

The segment drew thunderous applause from the star-studded audience at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater.

“Wow, now that’s how you honour a legend,” host Snoop Dogg told viewers afterwards. “There’s nothing but love in this room for Miss Dolly Parton. We love you, Dolly.”

And Snoop Dogg wasn’t alone in his praise. Social media was soon awash with fans who’d been left shedding a tear or two following the tribute.

|

MTV

One X user penned: “A beautiful tribute to the ‘Queen of Country’ Dolly Parton. Thank you @KaceyMusgraves for peforming ‘I Will Always Love You’ to honor her. It’s a beautiful song. Kacey’s performance was heartfelt.”

“I haven’t watched the VMAs in a while, but that Dolly Parton tribute was beautiful. Kacey Musgraves did an incredible job. #VMAs,” a second added.

“Kacey Musgraves with the beautiful tribute to Dolly… I’m crying! #VMAs,” another commented, while a fourth weighed in: “Omg actually crying at kacey’s tribute to dolly. wow. that was truly amazing. #VMAs.” (sic)

Another viewer admitted they too were left reaching for the tissues: “#VMAs and Kacey Musgraves got me crying about Dolly Parton all over again.”

| GETTY

“Oh the tribute for dolly just started & I’m CRYING #VMAs,” a sixth echoed, while another similarly said: “Another Dolly tribute I won’t get through without crying #VMAS.” (sic)

Ms Parton died on August 25 at the age of 80, having privately battled cancer. She was surrounded by loved ones at Nashville’s Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, according to a statement from her representatives.

Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, broke the news in a video message posted to Ms Parton’s official Instagram account.

“She has always been on your television, your record player, your CD, and on your phone playlist, becoming an extended part of your family whether you liked it or not,” he said.

tribute for the late dolly parton at the #VMAs pic.twitter.com/Dkg9QrlIjF

— lex (@petaltrin) September 28, 2026

Her family described her as “a rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see,” adding that her legacy was “one of love, compassion and resilience.”

Ms Parton’s final public appearance had been at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for her Tennessee Travel Stop in June.

Ms Musgraves had long regarded Parton as her biggest musical inspiration, once describing her to Rolling Stone as “a supernova of a person” who “wasn’t afraid to be a beautiful, sexy woman, proud of her femininity.”

The pair shared the stage at the 2019 Grammy Awards, where Ms Musgraves joined Katy Perry for a rendition of Here You Come Again before Ms Parton herself appeared alongside them.

Following Ms Parton’s death, Ms Musgraves wrote on X: “The world feels a lot less sparkly all of a sudden.”

The VMAs performance followed an earlier tribute at the 2026 Emmy Awards on September 14, where Sally Field remembered her Steel Magnolias co-star as an angel on earth, and Reba McEntire performed Parton’s 1983 track Appalachian Memories.