Dolly Parton posthumously accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Americana Honors & Awards on Wednesday, September 12. The country music icon appeared in a pre-recorded video clip at the event, which took place at the Ryman Auditorium.
News of Parton's death emerged last month. Her sister later explained that Parton had kept her cancer diagnosis private because "she did not want people sad."
In the video, Parton expressed her honour at receiving the award from the Americana Music Association. She spoke about growing up with "roots music, or what is now called Americana music," and how her 1997 album, 'Hungry Again', led to a series of bluegrass and acoustic albums that she described as a "musical renaissance."
Parton concluded her acceptance speech by thanking the AMA and stating, "just know that I will always love you." The event also featured a performance of her song "Coat of Many Colors" by Brandi Carlile and I'm with Her, introduced by Emmylou Harris.