The 2026 Emmy Awards turned into a Dolly Parton tribute on September 14, and it was every bit as emotional as you’d expect. Sally Field, Dolly’s former Steel Magnolias co-star, delivered a speech calling her“genuine and humble, supportive and blisteringly funny,”before adding the line that stopped the room:“If there are truly angels on Earth, then we just lost one: Dolly Parton.”Reba McEntire followed with a performance of Dolly’s 1983 song“Appalachian Mountains,”and the internet has not recovered since.
Dolly died last month after a private cancer battle, with her funeral held at Nashville’s Woodlawn Memorial Park. Tributes have poured in from around the world, including from artists like Kacey Musgraves, and the honors are far from finished. Nashville International Airport will be renamed in her honor, and a two-day DollyFest celebration is set for both Nashville and London.
For fans, it’s a lot to process at once, but it also feels like the right-sized goodbye for someone who meant so much to so many. From her music to her humanitarian work in Tennessee, Dolly’s legacy keeps growing even now.
Which Dolly Parton song means the most to you? Tell us in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.