Dolly Parton Makes Posthumous Appearance in Video At Awards Show Honoring Music Teachers: ‘Thank You For Your Passion’
Parton recorded the tribute for the Country Music Association Foundation's Music Teachers of Excellence event before her death at 80 in August.
Dolly Parton, who passed away at 80 in August, left behind a touching tribute to music teachers before her death. At the Country Music Association's 10th annual Music Teachers of Excellence event, held at Parton's newly opened Nashville SongTeller Hotel, Zac Brown introduced a video clip of the late country icon praising the inspiring educators.
Brown shared that Parton had taken the time to speak directly to the room, expressing her belief that music brings people together, but only through the dedication of teachers can this happen. In the clip, Parton thanked the music teachers for their passion, patience, and care, congratulating them on their milestone achievements and urging them to continue making beautiful music together.
Parton's legacy includes her Imagination Library, which has distributed over 300 million books to children worldwide over the past 30 years. She passed away on August 25 following a brief battle with cancer. The posthumous video appearance marked the second such appearance from the beloved country legend, with her accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Americana Awards and Honors in a taped message before her death.
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