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Kacey Musgraves Dolly Parton tributes

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2026-09-28 04:58 UTC → 2026-09-29 15:12 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Following the death of country music icon Dolly Parton at age 80 on August 25, singer Kacey Musgraves has included tributes to the late artist during her ‘Middle of Nowhere’ tour. In Boston, Musgraves performed covers of ‘Here You Come Again’ and ‘Rainbow,’ noting Parton’s influence on the latter. During that performance, a small fire ignited in the rafters due to a shower of sparks but reportedly died out on its own after three minutes. During a stop at Madison Square Garden in New York, Musgraves described Parton as a ‘supernova of a person’ and a ‘matriarch’ who was akin to royalty. She expressed that her own career would not have been possible without Parton’s influence, performing covers of ‘9 to 5’ and ‘Rainbow.’ Musgraves fulfilled her scheduled tribute to Parton at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Appearing in a sparkling pink, feathered gown with voluminous hair, Musgraves performed a stripped-down piano arrangement of ‘I Will Always Love You’ following a video clip of Parton singing the classic hit. This performance marked Musgraves’ first appearance at the VMAs in five years and occurred during a year in which she was nominated for Best Country for her single ‘Dry Spell.’ The performance utilized archival footage of Parton singing the 1974 track, which Musgraves harmonized with before continuing the ballad solo at the piano. Her fuchsia rhinestone-covered gown and feathered cuffs were noted for echoing Parton’s signature glamour and country-diva aesthetic. At the same ceremony, Taylor Swift dedicated her top prize to the late Parton. Swift made history at the event by becoming the most-awarded artist in the ceremony's history, receiving the inaugural Artist Director Honors and bringing her total to 31 awards.

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