Dolly Parton delivered one final message to the music community nearly a month after her death—and it is likely to bring tears to the eyes of her many devoted fans.
The country music legend posthumously accepted the Americana Lifetime Achievement Award through a prerecorded video shown Wednesday at the 2026 Americana Honors & Awards.
“Well, hey, it’s Dolly,” Parton began. “I’m honored to be receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Americana Music Association.”
It is unclear exactly when Parton recorded the acceptance speech. However, the award was announced just weeks before she died on August 25 at the age of 80, meaning the video was likely filmed during the final weeks of her life. Yet as the message played for an audience gathered at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium, Parton appeared as fans had always known her: cheerful, energetic, and deeply grateful.
Dolly Parton Reflects on Her Musical Roots
Parton used the message to reflect on the traditional music that shaped both her childhood and her extraordinary career.
“I mean, roots music, or what is now called Americana music, is what I grew up playing back in the Smoky Mountains,” she said.
Dolly Parton and Carl Dean – YouTube, Entertainment Tonight
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The singer then discussed returning to East Tennessee in 1997 to write and record Hungry Again, which was released the following year. Parton said the project opened the door to several bluegrass and acoustic albums that introduced her music to new audiences.
“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,” Parton explained.
She concluded the brief message by thanking the organization and invoking the title of perhaps her most famous song.
“I want to thank everyone at the AMA for recognizing me with this award,” Parton said. “It’s a great honor truly, and just know that I will always love you.”
Emmylou Harris Remembers Dolly Parton
Emmylou Harris introduced the video with a tribute to her longtime friend and collaborator.
Harris recalled how Parton began appearing alongside Porter Wagoner in 1967 but refused to remain anyone’s “sidekick.” Parton ultimately left Wagoner’s television program to pursue a solo career, writing “I Will Always Love You” as her farewell to him.
“She was one of our all-time greatest songwriters, but she shined just as brightly on stage,” Harris said, according to Variety. “She lit up the TV screen and then she lit up the movie screen.”
Dolly Parton at the ACM Awards – YouTube, Entertainment Tonight
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Harris also celebrated Parton’s accomplishments away from the stage, including Dollywood, her Imagination Library literacy program, wildfire relief efforts, and funding for medical research.
“There was nothing Dolly couldn’t do, and so she did it,” Harris said.
The tribute concluded with Brandi Carlile and the folk group I’m With Her performing Parton’s autobiographical song “Coat of Many Colors.”
Dolly Parton’s Legacy Continues
Parton died after a brief battle with cancer, leaving behind a career that encompassed music, movies, business, theme parks, and philanthropy.
She wrote thousands of songs, sold more than 100 million records, and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Songwriters Hall of Fame, and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Dolly Parton rides through the streets of Dollywood to celebrate the park’s 40th anniversary – Photo Credit: That Park Place
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However, Parton repeatedly said she hoped to be remembered first as a songwriter. Her final acceptance message offered one more reminder of why her songs became inseparable from the woman who created them. It also reflected the example she set throughout her life: keep working, keep smiling, and keep encouraging others until the very end.
Even after her death, Dolly Parton found a way to say goodbye in her own words: “I will always love you.”
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