Kacey Musgraves performs a tribute to Dolly Parton at the MTV Video Music Awards, singing Parton’s classic “I Will Always Love You” after opening with archival content of Parton. Multiple outlets describe the moment as emotional and centered on Parton’s legacy as the song plays out through Musgraves’ live rendition.
According to several reports, the tribute begins with pre-taped footage in which Parton introduces the 1974 tune. Rolling Stone and others note Musgraves’ performance marks her first time appearing at the VMAs in about five years, while Variety and Stereogum add that the segment leads into Musgraves taking over the performance. Consequence specifies Musgraves harmonizes with the archival audio before singing with a single piano accompaniment.
The outlets diverge mainly in emphasis and context: some focus on Musgraves’ VMAs return (Rolling Stone), others stress the posthumous element and the archival introduction (Billboard, Variety, Stereogum, and Australian papers), while The Independent highlights audience reaction. The common thread across sources is that Parton’s on-screen remarks and performance are used as the lead-in to Musgraves’ live cover during the awards show in Los Angeles.
