Kacey Musgraves to Honor Dolly Parton at 2026 VMAs
Kacey Musgraves will perform at the 2026 VMAs as part of a tribute to the late Dolly Parton, who died in August. This will be Musgraves' second VMAs performance, following her 2021 appearance. The show will also include tributes to George Michael and Nirvana's Kurt Cobain.
Musgraves has a history of honoring Parton on major stages. She took part in the 2016 CMA Awards tribute when Parton received the Willie Nelson lifetime achievement award, and she joined a multi-artist segment at the 2019 Grammys alongside Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, and others. Parton never received a VMA nomination, as her crossover peak predated the awards' 1984 launch, and country music held minimal presence on MTV until the best country category debuted in 2025. Musgraves, nominated this year for "Dry Spell," previously won CMA female vocalist of the year in 2019, an honor Parton claimed in 1975 and 1976.
This tribute may help bridge generational divides in country music fandom, introducing Parton's legacy to younger viewers who primarily know Musgraves. It could also signal the VMAs' growing embrace of country artists, a shift that may expand the genre's visibility on mainstream pop platforms. For Musgraves, the performance may elevate her profile during a competitive awards season, potentially influencing audience perception of her as a torchbearer for Parton's crossover appeal.