Kacey Musgraves is set to perform on the 2026 VMAs in tribute to Dolly Parton, who died on Aug. 25 at age 80. It’ll be Musgraves’ second VMAs performance; her first since she sang the title track to her fifth studio album, Star-Crossed, on the 2021 awards.
This year’s VMAs will include two other salutes to late, great artists. Yesterday, it was announced that RAYE, SOMBR and Teddy Swims will perform in tribute to George Michael, who died on Christmas Day 2016. And Nirvana, which ended with the death of its lead singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain in 1994, will receive this year’s video vanguard award.
Just about every major awards show will pay tribute to Parton, one of the most beloved and important artists of our time. On the Primetime Emmys on Sept. 14, Parton’s Steel Magnolias co-star Sally Field paid tribute to the star and Reba McEntire sang her 1983 song “Appalachian Memories.”
Musgraves participated in all-star salutes to Parton on previous awards shows, while the country icon was still living. At the 2016 CMA Awards, Musgraves was among those who performed as Parton received the Willie Nelson lifetime achievement award. The segment also featured McEntire, Pentatonix, Jennifer Nettles, Carrie Underwood and Martina McBride. At the 2019 Grammys, she sang in a segment that also featured Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Maren Morris and Little Big Town.
Musgraves, who has had three career VMAs nods, is nominated this year for best country for the sly and sexy “Dry Spell.” Parton, whose crossover peak largely came before the awards’ 1984 debut, was never a VMA nominee — as for most of her MTV-era career, country in general played only a minimal role in the channel’s landscape, with the show’s best country award only being introduced in 2025.
Musgraves, 38, won female vocalist of the year at the Country Music Awards in 2019 – an award that Parton had won in 1975 and 1976.
Hosted by Snoop Dogg, the VMAs will air Sunday, Sept. 27 (7:30-9:30 p.m. ET/4:30-6:30 p.m. PT) on CBS, simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+ (Premium) in the U.S. The show will also be available globally the next day on Paramount+ and MTV.
Madonna is set to open the show, which will emanate from the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles. Other performers set for the show, not already named here, are Gener8ion and Yung Lean (“Storm II”); Lisa (“Sawadika”); Shaboozey (“Cowgirl” and, with Gunna “High Noon”); and Sienna Spiro.
Additional performers, presenters and special guests are set to be revealed in the coming days.
The VMAs are produced by Gunpowder & Sky. Van Toffler serves as producer. Jesse Ignjatovic of Den of Thieves, Barb Bialkowski and Bruce Gillmer serve as executive producers alongside Barry Barclay and Floris Bauer. Melanie Block serves as co-executive producer and Gary Lanvy as co-producer. Snoop Dogg is executive producer alongside producers Sara Ramaker and Jasmin Ratansi. Jen Proctor is executive talent producer.
