- Country singer Kacey Musgraves paid a moving tribute to the late Dolly Parton at the 2026 MTV VMAs held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California.
- Musgraves performed a stripped-back rendition of Parton's iconic 1974 hit "I Will Always Love You", accompanied by a piano and preceded by archival video footage of Parton speaking.
- Fans and viewers online praised the emotional performance, describing it as a touching honour for the Queen of Country and highlighting Musgraves as the ideal choice for the tribute.
- Parton passed away in August 2026 at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer, having previously been hospitalised in Nashville for kidney and autoimmune issues.
- The country music icon was laid to rest at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville alongside her husband of 60 years, Carl Dean, who died in March 2025.
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