Dolly Parton’s Final Words Echo at Americana Awards

Dolly Parton delivered one final message to the Americana music community Wednesday, appearing in a video recorded before her death as she was posthumously honored with a lifetime achievement award.

The country music legend, who died Aug. 25 at age 80 after a brief battle with cancer, received the Americana Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2026 Americana Honors & Awards.

In the prerecorded acceptance message, Parton greeted the audience with her trademark warmth.

“Well, hey, it’s Dolly. I’m honored to be receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Americana Music Association,” she said, according to People.

Parton then reflected on her connection to Americana music, tracing it to her childhood in Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains.

“I mean, roots music, or what is now called Americana music, is what I grew up playing back in the Smoky Mountains,” she said.

Reflecting on her artistic journey, she noted how that foundational sound brought her back to East Tennessee in 1997 to write and record “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,” she said.

Prior to the video broadcast, Emmylou Harris opened the tribute by recounting Parton’s path from a 1967 breakout alongside Porter Wagoner to multi-media icon status.

“In 1967, Dolly got a good start on her big dream when she landed a gig as the girl singer with Porter Wagoner,” Harris said.

“Their duets were a hit on the show and on the charts, but Dolly was nobody’s sidekick. She wanted more and she deserved more, and she set out to get it always, always on her own terms. And we all know what happened when Dolly set her sights on something,” Harris continued.

“She was one of our all-time greatest songwriters, but she shined just as brightly on stage,” she added. “She lit up the TV screen and then she, she lit up the movie screen.”

Harris praised her late friend’s vocal ability and highlighted her contributions outside music, including Dollywood, the Imagination Library, the My People Fund, and funding toward COVID vaccine research.

To illustrate Parton’s approach to life, Harris shared a favorite quote from her friend.

“There’s another famous Dolly saying: ‘If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one,’ ” she said.

Harris explained that Parton empowered others through her own actions and music.

“Through her songs and her own example, she showed so many musicians, artists and everyday folks exactly how to do that,” she noted.

Rather than giving people a rigid blueprint, Harris emphasized that Parton inspired people to forge unique paths.

“Not by giving them the map that she made, but by encouraging them to draw their own,” Harris said.

Concluding her tribute, Harris reflected on Parton’s lasting spirit.

“So whatever road you’re on, I believe that Dolly’s walking it with every one of us tonight and always,” she said. “She’s sprinkling those rhinestones along the path and reminding us as we walk to be on the lookout for ways to dream more, learn more, care more, and be more for ourselves and for each other.”

The evening, which also celebrated Robert Plant, featured a live rendition of Parton’s “Coat of Many Colors” by Brandi Carlile and I’m with Her following the video segment.

The close relationship between the two artists spanned decades, starting with an impromptu jam session with Linda Ronstadt that resulted in their 1987 album “Trio.”

During a March 2026 event at the Country Music Hall of Fame, Parton recalled how the project came about on the spot.

“I know that for me, this will always stand as one of the greatest musical things that I’ve done in my entire life,” Parton said. “I’ve never been prouder of anything else.”

Parton also authored the 1975 track “To Daddy,” gifting it to Harris for a top chart run before recording her own rendition on 1995’s “The Essential Dolly Parton, Vol. 1.”