Kacey Musgraves Honors Dolly Parton with “I Will Always Love You” at 2026 VMAs

Kacey Musgraves honored the late Dolly Parton during the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night, returning to the VMAs stage for the first time in five years, with a performance of “I Will Always Love You.” The tribute began with archival footage of Parton, dressed in black, delivering one of her characteristically wry lines: “Don’t criticize your wife’s judgment. Just remember who she married.” The mood then shifted as Parton offered a more tender message: “I wish you joy and wish you lots of happiness, but above all I wish you love,” before breaking into her beloved song. Musgraves began harmonizing with Parton’s recorded voice as the video played, before the footage faded away and left her alone to carry the soaring ballad. Get Kacey Musgraves Tickets Here Accompanied only by a single piano, Musgraves kept the arrangement sparse and intimate. She also paid tribute to Parton visually, taking the stage in a sparkling red bodysuit with her hair teased high and her makeup evoking the country legend’s famous glamour. The stripped-down nature of the performance put the focus almost entirely on Musgraves’ voice and Parton’s words, turning the composition into a quiet farewell. The...