At the 2026 MTV VMAs ceremony, the most-awarded artist in the ceremony's history, Taylor Swift, paid tribute to the late Dolly Parton after her death.
Swift took to the stage after winning Video of the Year for “The Fate of Ophelia.” While giving her acceptance speech, she gave a shoutout to Parton.
“Lastly, but most importantly, I want to thank and dedicate this award to one person, without whom this wouldn't be happening, and that person is the ultimate showgirl, Dolly Parton,” Swift said to a lot of applause. “Every single song that she wrote, her storytelling was so vivid and so rich. Listening to her songs, it's like watching the best music video you've ever seen in your life every single time.”
Taylor Swift dedicates Video of the Year award to “the ultimate showgirl, Dolly Parton” at #VMAs pic.twitter.com/fcuFrVQajW
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) September 28, 2026
She continued by praising her attitude, explaining that Parton handled everything with ” such grace and joy and love and gratitude for the fact that she got to do this.”
Article Continues BelowSwift added, “And everything that happened in her life or her career she channeled back into love and gratitude and appreciation for her fans. I am lucky I got to be one of them, and I will always be one of them.”
Parton's death was announced by her nephew, Bryan Seaver, in a video posted on social media on Tuesday, Aug. 25. Swift issued a statement after her death, saying that a “world without Dolly doesn't feel possible, real, or right.”
“But because of the eternally generous way she spent her time on this earth and the countless lives she changed for the better, her legacy will be an everlasting one,” she added. “Dolly gave us someone to look up to while encouraging us to be who we are as individuals.”
Swift started her career in the country genre. Her self-titled debut album was a country album. Her following three albums would continue infusing her country roots into pop.