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Last night’s MTV Video Music Awards served incredible looks, sick performances and tons of accolades (to pop icons Madonna and Taylor Swift, especially), but there was also a powerful moment honoring the late, great Dolly Parton.
A video of Parton when she was younger played during Sunday's ceremony, in which the singer made a sweet joke before crooning her legendary ballad, “I Will Always Love You.” Country singer Kacey Musgraves then appeared onstage in a look that channeled Parton’s big-hair glam, joined Dolly at the chorus and then took over singing the rest of the track live.
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At the end of the song, Parton returned to the screen, saying: “I’ll always love you. Bye-bye!” It was such a bittersweet moment, not only because of Parton's recent passing (the music legend died at the age of 80 on August 25, 2026, following a brief battle with cancer) but also because of Dolly's inimitable impact on the music industry at large.
You can watch the performance here:
Kacey Musgraves delivers a moving performance of “I Will Always Love You” in tribute to Dolly Parton at the 2026 #VMAs. pic.twitter.com/RCuEiM0G8n
— Kacey Musgraves Access (@KaceyAccess) September 28, 2026
Musgraves, 33, previously worked with Dolly Parton at the 2019 Grammys to perform a medley of Parton’s biggest hits. It’s clear how much of an impact the icon had on Musgraves—days after the star died in August, Kacey dedicated her song “Rainbow” to her and covered the 1977 Dolly favorite “Here You Come Again” in Boston, according to People. At her recent NYC show at Madison Square Garden, Musgraves covered “9 to 5” in tribute to Parton as well.
You can watch the full VMAs on Paramount+ and MTV starting today.