Kacey Musgraves Honors Dolly Parton With “I Will Always Love You” at the 2026 MTV VMAs

Kacey Musgraves paid an emotional tribute to Dolly Parton during the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, performing one of the country legend’s most enduring songs just weeks after Parton’s death.

Musgraves performed “I Will Always Love You” during Sunday’s ceremony, honoring Parton with a song that has been closely associated with her career for more than five decades. Although the performance aired as part of the ceremony at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater, Musgraves did not attend the event in person.

The tribute came at a particularly poignant moment for Musgraves, who had shared a long-standing friendship and musical connection with Parton.

A Song Deeply Connected to Dolly Parton

Parton wrote and originally recorded “I Will Always Love You” in 1973. The song went on to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart twice — first in 1974 and again in 1982.

Musgraves, who was nominated at this year’s VMAs for Best Country for her song “Dry Spell,” chose the classic for her latest tribute to Parton.

It was not the first time Musgraves had turned to Parton’s music following the singer’s death.

Musgraves Had Already Honored Parton in Boston

Parton died on Aug. 25 at age 80. Just three days later, Musgraves paid tribute to her during an Aug. 28 concert in Boston.

During that show, Musgraves performed her own song “Rainbow” as well as a cover of Parton’s “Here You Come Again.”

Her connection to Parton stretched back years, with the two singers sharing the stage on several occasions.

At the 2019 Grammys, Musgraves and Parton performed “Here You Come Again” together as part of a special segment. Two years earlier, at the 2016 CMA Awards, Musgraves was among the presenters who honored Parton with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.

A Personal Tribute to a Friend

Following Parton’s death, Musgraves also shared a deeply personal message on X, describing how difficult the loss was for her.

“Dolly. This really really hurts,” she wrote, adding that “the world feels a lot less sparkly all of a sudden.” She also expressed relief that Parton was reunited with her late husband, Carl Dean, and joked that she was perfectly happy to spend her time “Dolly-scrolling” through her social media feed.

That personal connection gave Musgraves’ VMAs performance an added layer of meaning. Rather than simply revisiting one of Parton’s famous songs, she was once again using her own voice to honor an artist who had played an important role in her life.

Dolly Parton Was Not the Only Late Icon Honored

The 2026 VMAs also remembered another major music star, George Michael, with a tribute featuring Raye, Sombr and Teddy Swims.

Hosted by Snoop Dogg, the 2026 VMAs aired live from 7:30–9:30 p.m. ET / 4:30–6:30 p.m. PT on CBS and MTV and streamed on Paramount+ Premium in the U.S.

For Musgraves, however, the night offered a particularly personal moment: performing one of Dolly Parton’s signature songs in tribute to the country icon she had known, admired and shared the stage with over the years.

 

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