Dolly Parton Posthumously Accepts Americana Award in Newly Released Video Recorded Before Her Death: ‘Just Know That I Will Always Love You’

Some attendees at the Americana Music Honors & Awards might have assumed that the lifetime achievement award for Dolly Parton was something that the Americana Music Association had come up with to honor her in the immediate wake of her death. So a gasp went up from the crowd at the Ryman Auditorium Wednesday night when the lights went down midway through the ceremony and Parton appeared on a big screen to accept the award in what was intended to be in absentia, and would up being posthumous.

It wasn’t said when Parton filmed the video, but it was assumed to have been during the summer, which made it all the more startling to see the 80-year-old superstar looking as relaxed, lively and vivacious as she had at any point in recent years.

The video acceptance speech was preceded by an introduction from Emmylou Harris, and followed by a tribute performance given by Brandi Carlile and the supergroup trio of I’m With Her, singing one of her most personal signature songs, “Coat of Many Colors.” (Watch video of that performance below.)

In the video, Parton says ,”Well, hey, it’s Dolly, and I am so honored to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Americana Music Association. I mean, roots music, or what is now called Americana music, is what I grew up playing back in the Smoky Mountains. It’s that same music that drew me back to East Tennessee back in 1997 to write and record my album ‘Hungry Again.’

“And that project really opened the door to a series of bluegrass and acoustic albums that changed the course of my career in so many ways. Now, new fans discovered these albums, new Americana music communities embraced them, and now, looking back at it all, I see this era of my career as a musical renaissance of sorts.”

She concluded, “And I want to thank everybody at the AMA for recognizing me with this award. It’s a great honor, truly. And just know that I will always love you.”

Parton receiving the lifetime achievement award was announced just this month, but obviously long in the works. The existence of the acceptance speech was a surprise to the audience, as was the musical performance that followed.

On the red carpet, Carlile told Variety, “Dolly’s being honored this year, and that makes me feel really good to be able to be there and bear witness to that.”

Wednesday’s show had several emotional tributes to the dearly departed. As announced on the morning of the show, six members of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers — original members Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Ron Blair and Stan Lynch — reunited in honor of the group’s 50th anniversary, for a lifetime achievement honor. Two additional latter-day members, Steve Ferrone and Scott Thurston, also appeared. The show opened with Chris Stapleton fronting the band for three numbers, “American Girl,” “Breakdown” and “You Wreck Me.”

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