Kacey Musgraves Pays Tribute to Dolly Parton With ‘I Will Always Love You’ at MTV VMAs

At the 2026 MTV VMAs, Kacey Musgraves paid tribute to the late country music icon Dolly Parton by performing an emotional rendition of "I Will Always Love You." The performance began with a clip of Parton singing a snippet of the song, encouraging Musgraves to do the same. Musgraves, dressed in a reddish-pink gown with feathered cuffs, delivered a heartfelt, piano-accompanied version of the classic ballad.

The stage background featured a simple white sheer curtain and images of glittery butterflies, echoing Parton's signature branding. As the performance concluded, a video clip of Parton smiling, waving, and laughing echoed across the screen, accompanied by the now-famous line, "I will always love you." MTV VMAs host Snoop Dogg commended Musgraves' performance, saying, "Now, that's how you honor a legend.

We love you, Dolly. If you love Dolly Parton, make some noise!" Whitney Houston originally released the song as a solo in 1974, later collaborating with Vince Gill in 1995. Houston's cover of the song in the film The Bodyguard became a global sensation, spending 14 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 in 1992. Dolly Parton passed away on August 25 at the age of 80 after battling cancer privately.

In her honor, cities across the United States celebrated Dolly Day on September 25, with crosswalks painted pink, landmarks lit in pink, and local bars playing "9 to 5." Nashville went all out, with pink-hued fireworks illuminating the city to celebrate the country superstar.