Dolly Parton Honoured Posthumously With Americana Lifetime Achievement Award

Dolly Parton has been posthumously awarded the Americana Lifetime Achievement Award, with a recorded message from the singer played during the 2026 Americana Honours & Awards on Wednesday.

The legendary country musician died on August 25 at the age of 80, following what her representatives described as a brief battle with cancer. She passed away at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Centre in Nashville.

At the ceremony, which also honoured Robert Plant, Parton's friend Emmylou Harris delivered the opening remarks on her legacy. Harris described Parton's death as "unthinkable" and remembered her as a "tiny, extraordinary woman" who made the world a "better, brighter and kinder place."

Harris said Parton had not waited for the spotlight when she learned of the honour, recording a message with the same warmth, joy and sparkle she shared throughout her life. The video showed Parton seated beside a bouquet of fresh flowers, wearing a golden top with fringe and sparkling accents.

In the message, Parton said she was honoured to receive the award from the Americana Music Association, noting that roots music — now called Americana — was what she grew up playing in the Smoky Mountains. She recalled returning to East Tennessee in 1997 to write and record her album Hungry Again, a project she said opened the door to a series of bluegrass and acoustic albums that changed the course of her career.

The segment concluded with a performance by Brandi Carlile.

A statement from Parton's representative said she spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched, and that her generosity reached countless people she would never meet.

Parton had stepped back from touring in recent months due to health complications. During a rare appearance at her Dollywood theme park in March, she addressed her health and reassured fans that she was not retiring.