Seeing Dolly Parton now, in her feature films, videos, or in performance footage is achingly sad. The shock of her death at age 80 on Tuesday, August 25, from cancer is still uneasily settling in. She is sorely missed by so many who knew her along with those who did not and will always be. Parton's big heart and big personality were her dual trademarks. She had a delightfully bubbly manner that was impossible to resist. Nevertheless, when Dolly Parton accepted a posthumous award recently via a video, it was both a happy and a rather sorrowful occasion.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Actually, the accolade was the Americana Lifetime Achievement Award from the Americana Music Association. There was an Americana Music Honors & Awards ceremony at Ryman Auditorium on Wednesday, September 16. The other honoree was Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant.
Parton Looked Animated and Enthusiastic
In fact, the star was her usual beaming, sassy, effervescent self in the video. Variety estimates it was filmed sometime in the summer. She's wearing a champagne-color, Western-style blouse with black detailing. Parton, sprightly as ever, tells the audience, "Well, hey, it's Dolly. I'm honored to be receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Americana Music Association. I mean, roots music, or what is now called Americana music, is what I grew up playing back in the Smoky Mountains."
Furthermore, she added, "It's that same music that drew me back to East Tennessee in 1997 to write and record my album, Hungry Again. And that project really opened the door to a series of bluegrass and acoustic albums that changed the course of my career in so many ways."
Parton sweetly ended her remarks. "Now, new fans discovered these albums, new Americana music communities embraced them, and now looking back at it all, I see this era of my career as a musical renaissance of sorts. I want to thank everyone at the AMA for recognizing me with this award. It's a great honor truly, and just know that I will always love you."
Emmylou Harris Spoke About Her Friend Dolly
Harris gave an eloquent speech about Parton at the event. She said in part, "There's another famous Dolly saying: 'If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another one.' Through her songs and her own example, she showed so many musicians, artists and everyday folks exactly how to do that."
