Kacey Musgraves paid tribute to Dolly Parton at the 2026 VMAs by performing “I Will Always Love You.” Parton died last month at the age of 80.
Musgraves sang the song on stage at the awards ceremony. The performance came as part of a series of tributes and cover shows she has delivered since Parton’s death on August 25.
Covering Parton Across Her Tour
Musgraves has been playing Parton’s music at multiple stops on her Middle of Nowhere tour. She performed the 1977 hit “Here You Come Again” at a show in Boston. She also played “9 to 5” at Madison Square Garden.
“I’m not over it, and I’m never gonna be over it,” Musgraves said during the Madison Square Garden performance. “The world definitely lost a light, and it’s hard for me to talk about.”
The tour has added new songs to each stop’s setlist, with Musgraves continuing to play Parton’s songs across the run of shows. She has made Parton’s death a central theme of her current run of shows, openly saying she is not over it and keeping the covers coming.
The VMA Nod
Musgraves is up for Best Country Music Video this year. The nomination comes from the visual accompanying her Middle of Nowhere track “Dry Spell.”
Although she has never won a VMA, Musgraves has been nominated twice before. Those nods came for:
- Best Longform Video
- Best Art Direction
for 2022’s Star Crossed: The Film.
A Sincere Tribute
The VMAs performance was a straightforward tribute. Musgraves sang the song.
Musgraves’ version at the VMAs was a sincere moment of remembrance, matching the tone of the other tributes she has given since Parton’s death.
What We Make Of It
Musgraves has turned mourning into performance. Every cover show she plays now carries a note of loss, and the VMAs performance added another one to the record.
The VMAs performance fits that pattern. It was a public statement of grief from an artist who clearly felt it deeply.
Whether she takes the award or not, the tribute stands on its own.
See the video the story is built around at Pitchfork.
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