Kacey Musgraves used Sunday’s VMAs stage to honor country legend Dolly Parton, singing Parton’s signature ballad as the music community continues to mark the icon’s death on August 25 at age 80. The moment underscored how artists are folding Parton’s catalog into performances while major awards season approaches.
Musgraves delivered a quiet, focused rendition of “I Will Always Love You” on the live broadcast, a song long associated with Parton and one frequently revisited by peers since her passing. The tribute was restrained rather than theatrical, signaling both personal loss and the broader cultural weight of Parton’s catalog.
How Musgraves has been responding onstage
Since Parton’s death, Musgraves has woven several of the late star’s hits into stops on her Middle of Nowhere tour. At Madison Square Garden she performed “9 to 5” and told the audience, “I’m not over it, and I’m never gonna be over it,” a moment that highlighted how closely artists are processing the loss. In Boston she sang “Here You Come Again,” and those choices have tracked across multiple shows.
| Event | Location | Song |
|---|---|---|
| VMAs (televised) | Sunday broadcast | “I Will Always Love You” |
| Middle of Nowhere tour | Boston | “Here You Come Again” |
| Middle of Nowhere tour | Madison Square Garden, NYC | “9 to 5” |
Musgraves’s VMAs performance arrived while she is also in contention at the awards: she’s nominated this year for Best Country Music Video for “Dry Spell,” a single from Middle of Nowhere. Though she has received VMA nominations previously — including two in 2022 for her film project — a win has so far eluded her.
Why this matters now
The tribute is notable on two fronts: it signals how contemporary artists are publicly mourning a foundational figure, and it keeps Parton’s repertoire in current popular consciousness during awards season and high-profile broadcasts. For fans, each cover introduces the songs to new listeners; for the industry, these performances recall the role regional and mainstream artists play in preserving and reshaping a legacy.
- For audiences: Live tributes help sustain interest in an artist’s back catalog and can prompt renewed streaming and sales.
- For performers: Covering an icon’s work becomes both a personal statement and a public act of remembrance.
- For awards and media: High-visibility moments like the VMAs drive conversation around nominees and legacy artists alike.
Critics have also revisited Parton’s work since her death: music writers, including Lily Goldberg in a recent track review, have highlighted the enduring power of songs such as “I Will Always Love You.” Musgraves’s series of onstage homages joins that critical reassessment, offering a measure of how Parton’s influence continues to ripple through live performance and popular media.
The VMAs moment was brief but pointed — a reminder that, even weeks after August’s announcement, artists and audiences are still reshaping how they remember a cultural touchstone.
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