By TheDailyNewsHub
Country music legend Dolly Parton was honoured with a special tribute during the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Monday night, September 14, 2026, weeks after her death at the age of 80.
The tribute featured actress Sally Field, Parton’s co-star in the 1989 film Steel Magnolias, and country music star Reba McEntire, who performed one of Parton’s songs.
Field opened the tribute by reflecting on her friendship with Parton and their time working together on Steel Magnolias. She described the late entertainer as genuine, humble, supportive and exceptionally funny, while also highlighting her humanitarian contributions.
“If there are truly angels on Earth, we just lost one,” Field said as she remembered Parton.
She concluded her tribute by saying: “God bless you, Dolly Parton, my friend. I am not the only person on Earth that will love you forever and ever.”
McEntire then took the stage to perform “Appalachian Memories,” Parton’s 1983 song from her album Burlap & Satin. Images of Parton and the Appalachian landscape were shown during the performance. McEntire and Parton had maintained a close friendship spanning several decades.
Parton died on August 25, 2026, at the age of 80. The Television Academy lists her date of death and describes her as an Emmy Award-winning producer and singer-songwriter whose career extended across music, film and television.
Beyond her music career, Parton had a significant television legacy. She co-founded Sandollar Productions with her longtime manager Sandy Gallin, with the company involved in producing television programmes including Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. She also produced numerous television specials and holiday films.
Parton had also previously received Emmy recognition. She won her first Emmy in 2021 as an executive producer of the Netflix film Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square.
The tribute formed part of an emotional evening at the 2026 Emmys, which also featured remembrances of other entertainment figures who died during the preceding year. The ceremony was hosted by actress Mariska Hargitay at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
The Television Academy itself highlighted the Parton tribute in its official recap of the ceremony, noting McEntire’s performance of “Appalachian Memories” as a tribute to the late singer.
Parton’s death has prompted tributes across the entertainment industry, but the Emmy ceremony carried particular significance because of her longstanding contributions to television as a performer, producer and creator.
Her legacy now extends across generations of music and television audiences, with her work as an entertainer and philanthropist continuing to influence millions around the world.